French league rules do not allow stopping play for religious reasons Anthony Lopez fell to the ground claiming injury

A video showing Anthony Lopez went viral across social media platforms in the past few hours, receiving widespread praise as a "humanitarian gesture."

Reports revealed that the Portuguese goalkeeper of Nantes bypassed French Ligue 1 rules to help his Muslim teammates break their fast during the match against Le Havre last Sunday, which ended 2-0.

Lopez fell to the ground in the 74th minute, claiming an injury, prompting the medical staff to enter the field and temporarily halt play. However, French media, including Ouest-France, confirmed that his claim of pain in the left hamstring was the reason for the medical intervention, while Muslim players were seen having their Iftar during the stoppage.

After finishing Iftar, Lopez stood up and resumed playing with no signs of injury. After the match, he smiled and confirmed he was feeling well and had no injury.

Nantes coach Ahmed Kantari commented: "If he’s smiling, it means he’s in good condition. During Ramadan, we have fasting players like Youssef El-Arabi, who fasted today yet ran 95 full minutes. I think this was a message on the pitch."

It is noted that French league rules do not allow stopping play for religious reasons, unlike some other leagues, such as the English Premier League.