FC Nantes goalkeeper Anthony Lopes drew attention during his side’s Ligue 1 encounter against Le Havre AC after going down with an apparent hamstring injury to allow fasting teammates a brief opportunity to break their fast.

The incident occurred in the 74th minute of the second half at Stade de la Beaujoire. Lopes fell to the ground, prompting medical staff to enter the pitch and temporarily halt play.

During the stoppage, several Muslim players were seen heading to the touchline to consume water and dates to break their Ramazan fast at sunset.

Reports suggested the 35-year-old Portuguese goalkeeper’s actions created the opportunity for the players to eat and drink, as French football regulations do not permit matches to be paused on religious grounds.

Once his teammates had finished, Lopes rose and resumed play without visible signs of injury.

Nantes went on to secure a 2–0 victory, lifting the club to 17 points in 17th place, the first of the automatic relegation spots, while Le Havre remained on 26 points in 13th position.

Egyptian striker Mostafa Mohamed was among the substitutes for Nantes but did not feature in the match.

The episode has reignited discussion around the French league’s stance on religious accommodations during matches, particularly during Ramadan, as other major European competitions have allowed brief pauses to support Muslim players observing the fast.