This Soccer Star Leads His Team at the World Cup for God’s Glory

Published: June 24, 2026

Kenji Gorré — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 27: Kenji Gorre of Curacao runs with the ball during the FIFA Series match between China PR and Curacao at Accor Stadium on March 27, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. ( (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

By Mallory Mattingly

Curaçao is one of the 48 nations represented in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The entire population of the Caribbean island barely exceeds 185,000. Now, imagine leading that tiny country in the biggest soccer tournament in history.

Forward Kenji Gorré leads the team not just on the pitch but spiritually as well.

“One thing that God’s really taught me is that we have to have an audience of one, and that is playing for Jesus,” the athlete said on the “Sports Spectrum” podcast. “That is playing not for your name to be glorified, but for His name to be glorified and understanding that it’s actually not about me.”

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Gorré isn’t just on a mission to score goals but to win souls for Christ.

“This can only be God that has led us to this point. One thing that’s so beautiful is that He’s the real foundation of what we have built on as well,” he continued. “We pray every morning, we pray before the games, and that’s just something that has become a tradition of ours. We give glory to Jesus in everything that we do.”

According to Sports Spectrum, Gorré was born in the Netherlands but was raised in England. His ties to Curaçao stem from his mother, who was born on the island. Gorré has “made one Premier League appearance with Swansea City in May 2015. He’s been with the Curaçao national team since 2016 and was involved in a team-high six goals (three goals and three assists) during qualifying. His father, Dean, is a former pro soccer player from Suriname and currently an assistant coach for Curaçao.”

For the majority of the forward’s life, his identity was found solely in soccer. The now 31-year-old didn’t find Christ until about six years ago.

“There was something supernatural in that moment that God was doing in me that I realize, ‘Wow, I am a sinner and I need saving,’ because I felt like I was going to Heaven based on being a good person,” he said on the podcast. “Because [previously] everything was in my power.”

Ultimately, he has one goal for his World Cup run: “When we arrive at the World Cup this summer, it’s my hope that the world sees the light of Jesus on sport’s biggest stage,” he told YouVersion. “I want the world to see that the impossible is possible.”

For Gorré, the stage of the World Cup is not a platform for personal fame, but a divine assignment to win souls for Christ and reflect His glory.

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