10 Athletes in the 2026 World Cup Who Are Vocal about Their Faith
Spiritual Life
Audio By Carbonatix
9:00 AM on Thursday, June 11
By Whitney Hopler, Spiritual Life
1. Christian Pulisic – USA
Christian Pulisic is one of the most famous soccer players in the United States. He plays as a winger and an attacking midfielder. As a star player, Christian carries a huge responsibility to play well and be a good role model every time he steps onto the field. But Christian doesn’t rely on his own strength alone. He has a strong devotional life that keeps him grounded. On Instagram, Christian frequently posts photos of his Bible. In these photos, you can see verses that he has underlined with a pen during his times of reading and studying the Bible.
He also carries devotional notebooks and wears cross jewelry wherever he goes. Inside the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), Christian is a spiritual leader. His teammates describe him as someone who brings a peaceful, holy focus to the team culture. Christian helps organize and attend group Bible study sessions with the other USMNT players. He shows us that no matter how famous you become, you always need the truth of God’s Word for inspiration and guidance.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Marco Luzzani / Stringer
2. Weston McKennie – USA
Weston McKennie is a central midfielder for the United States. On the field, he is known for his high energy, his hard tackles, and his joyful personality. But off the field, Weston makes sure that fans know where his energy comes from. If you look at Weston’s social media profiles, you’ll notice that his bio reads “All glory to God.” This is a clear statement to the world that he credits God (not himself) for his amazing athletic talents. Weston’s profile photo shows him pointing his finger upward toward heaven.
Even when he’s playing in matches, he wears cross-shaped earrings as a physical reminder of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Weston loves to celebrate his faith during matches, too. When he scores a goal or celebrates a big win, he frequently stops and gestures heavenward to communicate that God empowers him to succeed. Weston teaches us to use our success to point others back to God.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Kevin C. Cox / Staff
3. Chris Richards – USA
Chris Richards plays as a center back for the United States. His job on the field is to defend the goal and stop the opponent’s best forwards, which takes a strong ability to focus and strategize wisely. Chris prepares for each game by praying with his teammates before their matches start. He talks about how praying together creates a sense of unity among his teammates, which God uses to empower them to place their best, with confidence.
Chris is also an active member of the player Bible studies. He loves to sit down with his brothers in Christ to study the Bible and talk about life. Chris says that his faith shapes his entire identity. He knows that his career as a soccer player will end one day, but his identity as a child of God will last forever. Chris models how important it is to find other Christians in our schools or workplaces so we can pray together and stay strong in unity.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Omar Vega / Stringer
4. Mark McKenzie – USA
Mark McKenzie is another center back who represents the United States. He has a reputation of being highly respected by his coaches and teammates because of his leadership. Mark leads with biblical values like humility, kindness, patience, and hard work. He frequently posts Scripture verses and personal faith reflections on his social media accounts. He talks honestly about the ups and downs of being a professional athlete. Mark admits that there are many times when sports can make a person feel anxious, lonely, or stressed about their performance.
Instead of trying to carry those burdens by himself, Mark speaks about relying on God’s grace to empower him with strength. He views his position on the team as an opportunity to serve others, just like Jesus served his disciples. He treats his teammates, coaches, and even his opponents with respect because he wants them to see the love of Christ through his actions. Mark’s life shows us that true leadership involves following Jesus and relying on him for strength.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Richard Heathcote - FIFA / Contributor
5. Matt Freese – USA
Matt Freese is a goalkeeper who was selected to represent the United States at the World Cup. Playing as a goalkeeper is a unique job because it involves serving as the last line of defense. It requires a lot of mental toughness, since a single mistake can cost the entire match. To find peace in the middle of intense pressure, Matt often prays for God’s peace, which is stronger than any challenges.
Matt values being part of a community of Christian players, and he often participates in Bible studies with his fellow athletes. He says he believes that gathering with other believers to study the Bible is essential for staying strong. Matt shows that staying connected to God’s peace by reading the Bible regularly with believers can help us experience peace in any situation we face – even the most stressful circumstances.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Richard Heathcote - FIFA / Contributor
6. Alisson Becker – Brazil
Alisson Becker is the starting goalkeeper for Brazil. He is widely considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He has won the biggest trophies in soccer, but his greatest passion is sharing the Gospel. Alisson is known as one of the most outspoken Christian athletes in soccer today. He frequently wears white undershirts with Christian messages and Bible verses written on them under his jersey. When his team wins a game, he lifts his jersey so people can see his message of faith. But Alisson’s love for Jesus goes much deeper than just wearing a shirt.
He says that one of the most meaningful experiences of his life happened when he helped baptize his close friend and former teammate, Roberto Firmino. Alisson views his soccer career as a ministry. He says he believes God gave him the talent to stop soccer balls so that he could use his fame to tell millions of people about the saving love of Jesus Christ. Alisson shows the importance of sharing the Gospel message in creative ways.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Ryan Pierse - UEFA / Contributor
7. Cho Gue-sung – South Korea
Cho Gue-sung is a striker who plays for the South Korea national team. He became a global superstar during the last World Cup in 2022, when he scored two incredible goals in a single match against Ghana. Suddenly, millions of fans around the world were talking about his talent. But despite the sudden fame and attention, Cho remains focused on his relationship with Jesus as the center of his identity. He has spoken about how quickly the world of professional sports can change; one day, fans love you, and the next day, you face criticism.
To protect his mind from the stress of global fame, Cho spends time in prayer before he steps onto the field. He says he asks God to give him peace, to keep him safe from injuries, and to help him play in an honorable way. Instead of basing his identity on his fame, Cho chooses to use his platform to speak about how he finds his identity in his personal relationship with Jesus. He regularly reminds his social media followers that his athletic talents are gifts from God that he is grateful for and wants to use for God’s purposes. Cho teaches us that what matters most is our identity as God’s beloved children, rather than anything we do, no matter how successful we become in this world.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / JUNG YEON-JE / Contributor
8. Bukayo Saka – England
Bukayo Saka is a winger and attacking midfielder for the England national team. His fans often cheer for him to score as many goals as he can. He handles performance pressure by reading his Bible every single night before he goes to bed. No matter how tired he is or how important the next day’s game is, he follows the spiritual discipline of Bible reading. Bukayo says this nightly habit gives him a strong sense of peace and confidence that the world can’t give him.
It reminds him that God loves him for who he is, not just for how many goals he scores. When he steps onto the field with millions of people watching, Bukayo stays calm, remembering God’s promises in the Bible. Bukayo’s habit of nightly Bible reading shows us the power of spiritual disciplines to train us for living holy lives.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Mike Hewitt / Staff
9. Teboho Mokoena – South Africa
Teboho Mokoena is a central midfielder who represents South Africa. He’s famous for his passing and his powerful long-range goals. Teboho is outspoken about how he regularly depends on Jesus to help him. He frequently attributes all of his athletic achievements, awards, and victories to God’s grace rather than his own talent. After big matches, Teboho shares messages online praising God and thanking Him for his blessings.
Teboho also uses his resources to help people in need and speaks about the importance of loving our neighbors. When the pressure of his work playing soccer gets intense, Teboho says he relies on prayer to stay calm and focused. Teboho is an inspiring example of the importance of praise, gratitude, and kindness as we live out our faith day by day.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Luke Hales - FIFA / Contributor
10. Cody Gakpo – Netherlands
Cody Gakpo is a forward who plays for the Netherlands. Cody takes his Bible with him everywhere he travels, and he says he reads the Bible every single night before he goes to sleep. He says that the Bible is like a beautiful love letter from God that teaches people how to love and treat one another with kindness. His bold faith has inspired many of his teammates. During international tournaments, Cody and his fellow believers have led regular Bible studies and prayer groups right inside the team hotel.
The players read and study the Bible together, talk about the pressures they face as soccer players, and pray for each other. Cody also made headlines when he celebrated a match victory by revealing a shirt that read: “I belong to Jesus.” Cody shows how staying connected with God through God’s Word can help us live the way God wants us to live – putting love into action through kindness.
In conclusion, as we watch the thrilling matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we can be inspired by athletes like these players, who are using their sports platforms to share the Gospel message. Let’s pray for these men as they play on the world’s biggest soccer stage. What they do and say while millions of people are watching and listening can help many soccer fans discover the hope they need through Jesus!
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / Carl Recine / Staff
