DFB and Nmechas Christfluencing: cheers and a lot of hustle and bustle

He probably won't be in the starting line-up against Serbia, at least that's what the Bild newspaper found out. Jürgen Klopp will rely on the Bayern axis Pavlovic and Kimmich in defensive midfield instead of Nmecha. Nevertheless, the DFB has been under pressure since Borussia Dortmund demanded that Felix Nmecha stop making gestures of celebration for the controversial evangelical network “Ballers in God”. In addition, the network should no longer advertise with Nmecha in the BVB jersey. Otherwise you will be threatened with legal action.

For a long time it didn't look like clubs or associations would take concrete steps on the issue. For years, the growing influence of evangelical networks has led to concern, particularly among fans. Footballers like Nmecha use the cheering gesture “The King’s Return” to promote “Ballers in God”, a fundamentalist movement that is partly anti-queer.

Nmecha had also shared posts that associated queer people with the devil. The fan protests first became really big with Nmecha's move to BVB in 2023, when Dortmund supporters spoke out against the commitment with reference to the club's core values. The topic became huge again in the summer when Nmecha also used the advertising cheer for the DFB.

Critical research into networks like “Ballers in God” often gets shitstorms on social media because they are directed against Christianity or freedom of belief. However, the debate is not about usual private beliefs, but about a movement that is closely linked to the rise of the New Right, fundamentalist free churches and Christian influence, especially from the USA.

Christianity is increasingly becoming the foundation for authoritarian movements: against Islam, against feminism and queerness, and for an image of masculinity characterized by strength and toughness. Donald Trump and Brazil's right-wing ex-President Bolsonaro, for example, operate at the hinge between free churches and fascism. Footballers are increasingly playing an important role as advertising figures. A prominent example is superstar Neymar, who, like so many evangelical footballers, openly campaigned for Bolsonaro. Brazil's jersey became its political symbol.

In the Nmecha case, things are a little more complicated because the national player repeatedly distanced himself, at least vaguely, from misanthropy. “My message was never intended to promote intolerance, discrimination or hatred in any form,” he wrote. And there is no contact guilt. However, it is very noticeable that Nmecha never distanced himself from the queer hostility in “Ballers in God”. He attributed his posts to English problems in an unoriginal way.

The fact that BVB is now acting after its fan and support department sharply criticized Nmecha's renewed crown celebration comes as a bit of a surprise given their previous passivity. Fans and investigative media have achieved more than many gave them credit for.

This puts the DFB in a very unpleasant situation. During the World Cup, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf eloquently defended Felix Nmecha. “The intention he has with this is positive.” He thinks “this belief that he embodies here […] is perhaps a bit unusual for some people in a secularized world.” To locate the problem with the fans instead of with Nmecha seemed very naive given everything that is known about the “Ballers in God”.

The DFB gave the impression that it was poorly informed about Christian fundamentalism, even though the issue has been growing in football for years. Also because male footballers in particular grow up isolated, under high pressure and with little political education. For people whose entire life's work is in danger of collapsing due to a dip in form, the naive image of Jesus as a personal coach is very attractive.

The DFB is now also holding talks. Sports director Rudi Völler said Nmecha was “totally decent”. The Spiegel also quoted from BVB club circles that Nmecha does not behave homophobically there and that they have been behind him for so long. However, it is true that he puts God above everything; the word “brainwashing” is mentioned. For clubs, there is a risk that brainwashing will become a mass phenomenon.

“We will do it similarly to Dortmund,” Völler said. What he means by that is completely unclear. With each additional cheer the pressure will increase. It is “enormously important” to understand the topic at all, Völler said. It would actually be high time for the DFB to acquire competence.