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By Movieguide® Staff
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken over North America, drawing eyes from every corner of the globe. Forty-eight nations. One trophy. And scattered throughout the tournament: a remarkable number of players who make no secret of where their strength comes from.
“Jesus is everything!” USMNT midfielder Cristian Roldan declared to Sports Spectrum the day before the US opened against Paraguay — and he wasn’t alone in that conviction.
Movieguide® previously highlighted USMNT star Christian Pulisic as one of five athletes making an impact for Christ in 2026. This World Cup is full of believers. Here are 15 who have been outspoken about their faith in Jesus.
- Alisson Becker — Brazil | Liverpool
A two-time Premier League champion, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker is widely regarded as the best in the world. Brazil’s starter at two consecutive World Cups, the 33-year-old views his platform as a ministry — and once helped baptize former teammate Roberto Firmino.
“As I got older, and I experienced more of life — both joy and pain — I realised that God is closer than you can ever imagine,” he wrote in The Players’ Tribune.
- Bukayo Saka — England | Arsenal
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka helped his boyhood club win the Premier League title before joining England’s World Cup squad. He scored three goals at Qatar 2022 and carries a reputation for poise under the biggest pressure — a quality he doesn’t attribute to himself.
“It’s really important to obviously have the presence of God in me all the time, and it gives me more confidence that God’s plan is perfect so I can go on the pitch and know that God has my back,” he said in a pregame press conference at the 2022 World Cup.
- Christian Pulisic — USA | AC Milan
The face of American soccer, AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic is the USMNT’s fifth all-time leading scorer at just 27. He wears the cross necklace his mother gave him, posts Bible verses on Instagram and shares his faith freely with anyone who asks.
“Something that I’ve grown a lot closer with this past year is my belief in God, especially being alone over here,” he told GQ in 2021. “I feel like I always have someone who’s with me. I don’t know how I would do any of this without that feeling that He’s watching over me and there’s a reason why I’m here.”
- Cody Gakpo — Netherlands | Liverpool
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo scored in all three group stage matches at Qatar 2022, then arrived at this tournament as one of the most dangerous attackers in the draw. He made headlines this past season by lifting his jersey after a Liverpool win to reveal a shirt that read “I belong to Jesus.” His nightstand habit says the same thing.
“Faith gives me peace,” Gakpo told NRC in 2022. “And strength when I need it. I often read the Bible before I go to sleep. It is a kind of love letter that tells us how we should treat each other.”
- Cristian Roldan — USA | Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan is one of the most spirited players on the USMNT roster. The US is playing on home soil for the first time since 1994, and Roldan needed just three words to say what that means.
Related: USMNT Goalkeeper Has a Role to Play in God’s Kingdom
“Jesus is everything!” he declared to Sports Spectrum. “Representing the United States all together, representing Latinos, God, the whole package that comes with me, is such a blessing and to be able to do so for so many is such a treat.”
For more inspiring sports stories, check out Sports Spectrum.
- Eberechi Eze — England | Arsenal
Arsenal winger Eberechi Eze is on one of the great individual runs in European soccer — a Premier League title, a career-best season and now a World Cup with England. The 27-year-old is thoughtful and precise about what keeps him grounded through it all.
“That faith is a foundation, it’s a pillar for me in my life, of course because of my Christian background and how I’ve grown up,” he told Sky Sports in May. “For me, that’s just an anchor of how I live my life. I see everything through the eyes of faith.”
- Jérémy Doku — Belgium | Manchester City
Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku had a standout season: eight goals, 12 assists, an FA Cup, a Carabao Cup. Belgium will be looking to get him the ball early and often. The 24-year-old describes what changed when he stepped fully into his faith.
“On the pitch, I have His presence with me. That’s the difference,” Doku told NBC Sports in November. “I’m just happy that now I can just deliver the way I want to play without any fear or doubt or anything.”
- Kaká — Brazil | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 World Cups
No list of World Cup believers is complete without Brazilian legend Kaká. After Brazil’s 2002 triumph, the midfielder dropped to his knees and lifted his jersey to reveal a shirt that read “I Belong to Jesus.” It wasn’t a stunt. Faith was the through line of a Hall of Fame career at AC Milan and Real Madrid.
“Without Jesus, I can’t do anything,” he told Cru ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
- Kenji Gorré — Curaçao
Kenji Gorré helped write history by leading Curaçao to their first-ever FIFA World Cup. The 31-year-old paced his nation with six goal contributions during qualifying. For him, that story has a clear author.
“God really does make the impossible possible,” he told Sports Spectrum. “That’s why the God that we serve is alive. The God that we serve does want to make your dreams come true and He is with you in your journey.”
- Mark McKenzie — USA | Toulouse FC
US center back Mark McKenzie came up through the Philadelphia Union academy and now plays for Toulouse in France’s Ligue 1. He has spoken openly about his identity in Christ — that no result, high or low, changes who he is.
“Every day that goes by is a day where I have to look up and say, ‘Thank You, Lord, for seeing me through this,’” he shared on the Sports Spectrum podcast.
- Matt Freese — USA | New York City FC
New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese is the projected U.S. starter between the posts at this World Cup. Raised Catholic, he plays every minute of every match with one reminder running in the back of his mind.
“I always remind myself that God’s got me,” he told Sports Spectrum in June.
- Maxence Lacroix — France | Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace center back Maxence Lacroix had one of the best seasons of any defender in Europe — FA Cup winner in 2025, UEFA Conference League champion in 2026, then a first France call-up. His hierarchy of priorities is refreshingly straightforward.
“Win titles. Win games. This is very important for a player to win, but look after God first and He will give you what your heart desires,” Lacroix told the Professional Footballers’ Association.
- Santiago Giménez — Mexico | AC Milan
AC Milan striker Santiago Giménez is Mexico’s go-to weapon — a 23-goal season with Feyenoord earned him a move to Italy, and he has been electric since. When he prays before a match, his ask is less about results and more about something harder to manufacture.
“I only ask Him to light up my spirit,” he told SempreMilan. “It’s just that He lets me be the fighter that I was, that He lets me be that child who had fun before. Simply, it’s the passion that I have for football, that He reawakens it in me.”
- Chris Richards — USA | Crystal Palace
Alabama native and Crystal Palace center back Chris Richards has spent most of his career abroad, moving clubs since he was 16. At Crystal Palace he found something he hadn’t experienced in years: a locker room full of believers.
“I’ve never been a part of something like this,” he told The Athletic in 2025, describing the team’s pregame prayers and Bible studies. “It’s good to have a group of guys around you who are also believers and have gone through the same things like moving away from home.”
- Weston McKennie — USA | Juventus
Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie puts his faith right on the surface: Instagram bio reading “All glory to God,” cross earrings in every match, a skyward point every time he scores. A loan move to Leeds United that many framed as a demotion didn’t shake him one bit.
“I believe in God, I believe there’s always a plan, there’s a journey that’s set out for you, and everything happens for a reason,” he told 8 by 8 Magazine.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs through July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Soccer may be the world’s game, but for these 15 players, the pitch is just one more place where faith in Jesus shows up.
Read Next: ‘He Is My Everything’: USMNT Defender Reflects on Faith Ahead of World Cup
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