By Luke Vercollone
At the world’s biggest stage in the largest sporting event, athletes, heroes, and dads come together in unity for one goal… to win the World Cup. If they can do this for a sport, why can’t we come together for life in Christ?
Saint Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Cor 9:24-25
The World Cup is a beautiful example of our capability to dwell together in unity for a common goal and higher purpose. Teams battle, compete, and work incredibly hard for a silly little trophy; in comparison, Christians should invest all the more effort toward our eternal crown and imperishable union with Jesus. Come on, God’s people! I believe that we can win!
The great saint from Poland, Pope John Paul II, said, “Of all the unimportant things, soccer is the most important.” While soccer is not incredibly meaningful in the grand scheme of things, this sport not only brings teams together on a mission, but unifies the world around this tournament every four summers.
The world’s game has been an inspiration for me as I have been honored to play professional soccer for 15 years, including appearing in big tournaments. I have discovered that this sport pales in comparison to our great mission as Christians: “Go make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). Imagine if Christians could rally in peace and unity with brothers from around the globe, working together to advance Christ’s mission. Just as the Bible says in Psalm 133, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
One of the reasons that this “game” is so powerful is that it seems like ordinary men are capable of succeeding at the highest levels. They don’t have to be extremely fast, strong, or tall to be great (consider Lionel Messi). This can relate to fatherhood — as dads, we sometimes think that we need to be slaying the dragon and building a fortress to provide and protect our families.
“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.” — G.K. Chesterton
Fatherhood matters significantly — far more than a game, even the World Cup. Dads play a major role in culture, in families, and especially in the formation of their children. The statistics are overwhelmingly positive when considering the importance of a present father in relation to the success of the children. Research shows that being an engaged, intentional, and present father during childhood and adolescence poses significant advantages for their children, including being more likely to earn A’s in school, twice as likely to enter college, and half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms.
This World Cup season, “as more than half of American parents say the 2026 FIFA World Cup is changing how their family engages with soccer,” I encourage fathers to take advantage of this newfound love of the sport their families will experience. Whether it is kicking a soccer ball around in the backyard or taking them to their first soccer practice, this is an opportunity to be the active and engaged father your children need you to be.
So, as we watch soccer teams from across the globe compete this summer, let’s pray for the incredible fathers who lead their families and inspire us to greatness. May their witness on the field encourage us to live out our great mission as dads, leaders, and Christians.
Luke Vercollone is the senior officer of mission advancement for the national pro-life organization, Save the Storks. He’s a former pro soccer player for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
