World Cup: A Different “Goal”

The World Cup begins tomorrow! I’m not going to pretend that I’m a soccer fan by any means, but I will, of course be cheering for the USA! It’s also good to point out that on these 48 teams participating that there are several world class athletes boldly proclaim their Christian faith. Moving past the era of quiet, private isolated devotions, these athletes (some superstars) are sharing their beliefs at the forefront of the sport and with that changing the landscape and culture of the sport. Rather than shying away from media scrutiny, several high-profile elite players are intentionally choosing to speak about their faith in Christ in official FIFA settings and club press rooms. Here are a few of players that are participating in the World Cup that proclaim the Gospel…

United States – Chris Richards, Matt Freese and Christian Pulisic  routinely hold Bible studies.

England – Bukayo Saka has publicly shared that he reads his Bible every night.

Belgium – Jeremy Doku infuses nearly every social media post with scripture.

Brazil – Igor Thiago states that during press conferences that he clings to God on a daily basis.

Germany – Felix Nmecha is probably the boldest of all the players,
stating that “every time I go on the field, it’s not about me, it’s about glorifying God.”

It’s encouraging to see these and many other top-tier athletes declaring their belief in God and Jesus on such a high-profile world stage.

USA!!   USA!!   USA!!

Kurt