God on the soccer field: Expressions of faith at the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been more than just a celebration of soccer. Amid the excitement, players, coaches, and fans have made it clear that, for many of them, faith is also part of the game.
Mexico, the United States, and Canada are hosting the tournament, which kicked off on June 11 and for the first time in history has brought together 48 national teams for a total of 104 matches.
The Virgin of Luján and the Argentinian national team Argentina, the tournamentʼs defending champion, seeks to repeat the feat achieved at Qatar in 2022 under the protection of the Virgin of Luján. During that World Cup, a video shared by goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez revealed an image of the patroness of Argentina in the locker room at the white-and-blue-uniformed teamʼs training camp.
Tweet Furthermore, the athletic shoes worn by Lionel Messi, captain and superstar of the Argentinian national team, were blessed at Our Lady of Luján Basilica by Father Lucas García, the shrine’s rector.
In a video shared on social media, the priest is seen sprinkling holy water on the footwear while praying that the World Cup becomes a time of unity for all Argentinians.
Instagram post Croatia and…
