German international Felix Nmecha is once again facing criticism for his outspoken Christian faith. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder celebrated his goals last Saturday with a gesture pointing to Jesus as King. The tribute to Jesus has reignited debate within the German top club. The Christian football movement Ballers in God (BIG) is also under fire. The organization has since issued a clear statement: “We believe that Jesus Christ is King and that He is the hope of the world.”
Nmecha was the star of the show for Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. With two stunning long-range strikes, he secured his team’s victory over Elversberg. After his goals, he pointed to the sky and made a striking gesture: he symbolically took a crown off his head and laid it down.
The gesture refers to The King’s Return, a campaign by Ballers in God. This Christian movement aims to support professional footballers in their faith and encourage them to make Jesus known through football.
Criticism from within Borussia Dortmund
His open testimony of faith, however, has once again sparked debate. Borussia Dortmund’s supporters’ department responded with a critical statement the day after the match.
In it, the department stressed that discrimination and exclusion do not fit the club’s values. According to German public broadcaster ARD, there are concerns about the conservative views associated with Ballers in God, including on homosexuality and transgender identity.
The supporters’ department states that footballers are role models and that religious convictions must not be used to deny the dignity or equality of others.
This once again puts Nmecha’s public testimony of faith under scrutiny. Although the criticism focuses on allegedly exclusionary views, the direct trigger this time is a goal celebration in which Jesus is honored as King.
Borussia Dortmund has said it takes the supporters’ concerns seriously and will remain in conversation with Nmecha. At the same time, the club is standing by its midfielder.
Ballers in God: ‘Everyone should be free to express their faith’
Ballers in God has since responded with an extensive statement of its own. The organization emphasizes that its mission revolves around making Jesus known, with love for people at its heart.
“We believe that Jesus Christ is King and that He is the hope of the world. We believe that the hope found in Him is for everyone,” the movement writes.
The organization also expresses its support for footballers who openly share their faith.
“We celebrate players who live out their faith privately, but also those who choose to express it publicly.”
Ballers in God further stresses that every footballer should have the freedom to express their faith respectfully, without fear of prejudice or exclusion.
The movement says it wants to show love and respect to everyone, including those who do not share its beliefs.
“Our focus has always been and will always remain to point people to Jesus with grace and love.”
Nmecha under fire for his faith before
This is not the first time Nmecha has faced criticism for his Christian convictions. When he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2023, controversy arose over posts he had shared on social media, including one by American commentator Matt Walsh about transgender identity.
At the time, Nmecha responded that he sincerely loves all people and does not discriminate against anyone.
In 2025, there was another uproar after he had, believe it or not, merely expressed his sympathy to the family of murdered Christian activist Charlie Kirk.
Despite the recurring criticism, Nmecha continues to live out his faith visibly. His goal celebration has become a recognizable gesture through which he seeks to give Jesus the glory.
