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By David F. Dawes
WHILE WATCHING World Cup games this summer, soccer fans may not have been aware that many of the players they have been
watching are devout Christians.
Yet a number of players have made their faith a matter of public record.
Kaká
Going into the World Cup, Brazil was the highest ranking team. Lúcio, the team captain, was featured on June’s BCCN cover.
His midfield comrade, Kaká, has been increasingly in the spotlight. A book for younger readers, Toward the Goal: The Kaká Story, was recently released by Zondervan.
At age 18, Kaká was paralyzed by an accident which fractured one of his neck vertebrae; but his
increasing devotion to God led to both a physical and a spiritual triumph.
This, in turn, led to public proclamations of faith – via T-shirts bearing messages and prayer on the playing field.
InToward the Goal, Kaká stated: “It makes me happy to read the Bible every day, to study it and to be in
fellowship with God – and learn more and more about Jesus.”
Dirk Kuyt
Striker Dirk Kuyt scored the first goal by a Dutch player in this year’s World Cup, during Holland’s 2 – 0 victory over Denmark June 14.
Kuyt also excels off the field. According to Wikipedia, the footballer and his
wife “set up the Dirk Kuyt Foundation to help disadvantaged children in his homeland
and the Third World.”
Tim Howard
The skills of an American goalkeeper were also recently spotlighted. Tim Howard – an outspoken Christian – was named ‘Man of the Match’ during the U.S. team’s opening 1-1 tie against England on June 12. Baptist Press (BP) reported: “In spite of a first-half injury to the ribs that left him in excruciating pain,
Howard managed to . . . ward off England’s continuous attacks throughout the remainder of the game.”
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Park Chu-Young
South Korean star Park Chu-young is known as a devout believer. Living Light News noted: “The striker, who writes ‘Jesus is Christ’ next to his name in autographs to fans, kneels in prayer after scoring. This is
a sight which is becoming increasingly common.”
The article quotes an interview with the player from The Guardian: “The first and main reason why I play is to evangelize people. It would make me
happy if just one person became interested in Christianity because of me.”
Clarence Goodson
According toBP, American defender Clarence Goodson’s family and church “provided him with a Christian foundation to build his relationship with Christ.”
“I believe God rewards faithfulness,” Goodson said. “If we are obedient – and follow Christ with all of our mind, body and soul – we will receive our heart’s desires. That’s not to say that you can get whatever you want; but if it is in God’s will for your life, you will receive abundant joy.”
Outreach
Athletes in Action had developed a DVD entitled The Prize: Chasing the Dream featuring testimonies from players such as Goodson and Howard. AIA distributed
the video at the World Cup, particularly hoping to reach soccer fans from
religiously oppressive countries.
According toChristian Today, Baptist missionaries from Brazil were also at the games, particularly hoping
to reach out to fans from North Korea, a country known for its harsh treatment
of Christians.
Christians pop up in some of the most unexpected places. At the 2006 World Cup,
midfielder Andranik Teymourian of Iran was honoured as ‘Christian star of the World Cup,’ in an online contest sponsored by a Dutch organization.
Tinyiko Sam Maluleke, president of South African Council of Churches, has
suggested that events such as the World Cup are an opportunity for churches.
Noting that soccer is like a religion in that it stirs very powerful emotions,
he said, “I think that it’s important for us as churches to remind everyone that it’s a game. None of the players are divine . . . None of the teams are divine.”
Soccer, he concluded, “is a poor form of religion compared to Christianity.”
July 2010
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