Rayan Cherki Religion

Early life

Rayan Cherki was born Mathis Rayan Cherki on 17 August 2003 in Lyon, France, to Algerian mother Abla Cherki and half-Italian father Fabrice Amsellem. Cherki’s early talent led him first to AS Saint-Priest before he joined Olympique Lyonnais’ prestigious youth academy at just seven years old.

Salary & Contract

Rayan Cherki’s current contract is a five-year deal, reflecting both his stature in the football world and the significant investment made by his club. The contract, valued at a total of £46,800,000, breaks down to an annual salary of £9,360,000. This translates to weekly wages of approximately £180,000. Cherki’s contract is set to lead him into free agency in 2030, marking the end of this significant phase of his career.

What religion is Rayan Cherki?

Rayan Cherki is a French professional footballer whose religious practice is Muslim. Manchester City has publicly listed him among their Muslim players who receive support during the holy month. Rayan Cherki serves as an attacking midfielder for both the Premier League’s Manchester City and the French national team. With City, he has won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup (EFL Cup). Additionally, Cherki represented France at the 2025 Nations League semi-finals.

Youth career

Cherki began his youth career with the club AS Saint-Priest in 2015. He remained with the club until 2016, when he joined the reserve team of Lyon in the Championnat National 2.

Lyon

On 19 October 2019, Cherki made his professional debut for Lyon as he was featured in a 0–0 Ligue 1 draw against Dijon. Later, in a January 2020 match against Bourg-en-Bresse in the Coupe de France, he scored his first senior goal, becoming the youngest-ever player to score a senior goal for Lyon at that time. Cherki made his Champions League debut for Lyon on 19 August, as he was subbed on in a match against Bayern Munich. In doing so, he made history as the youngest player to compete in a Champions League semifinal. Cherki later signed a new contract with Lyon to remain with the club until 2027. Following the contract extension, Cherki set numerous records, such as finishing as the league’s top assist provider with 11, and was also given the inaugural Ligue 1 Dribbler of the Year award.

Manchester City

Cherki signed a four-year contract with Manchester City in 2025. 11 days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 6–0 FIFA Club World Cup group stage victory against Al Ain. Days later, Cherki scored in another 4–0 away victory, this time over Wolverhampton, on his first Premier League debut. Yet another 3–1 win came the next month against EFL Championship side Swansea City, in which he registered a goal and an assist on his EFL Cup debut. Cherki continued his hot streak, scoring in a 4-1 home victory over Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League group stages.

International career

In addition to his very successful club career, Cherki has also had a successful international career playing for the French national team. He made his full international debut in 2025. He has since earned over 5 caps while playing for France. Cherki has also registered one goal in his last 5 appearances for the French team. He was a member of the French team when they reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Nations League. Also, French coach Didier Deschamps has included Cherki in the official 26-man forward lineup for the French national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise also made the list.

Personal life

Rayan Cherki was born to an Algerian mother and a father of Italian descent; he is the third of five brothers. Additionally, Cherki is eligible to play for France, Algeria, or Italy, the latter two because of his parents’ origins.