From Arsenal’s ‘Bible Brothers’ to Lioness striker Michelle Agyeman, some of the nation’s favourite footballers are becoming increasingly outspoken about their Christian faith. Kemi Bamgbose says their witness is creating fresh opportunities for all of us to share the gospel
I am the least qualified person to write about football. My level of knowledge of the beautiful game is embarrassingly low, especially for someone who comes from a football-mad family!
Yet even those of us who don’t understand the offside rule or are clueless about the different leagues that exist beyond the Premier League and Champions League can’t be oblivious to what God is doing among footballers right now.
In recent months, the increase in public expressions of faith from football players via social media and mainstream media has been opening unexpected conversations with my loved ones to share the good news, leaving me no choice but to get up to speed with what is happening on the pitch!
Ever since Saka, Sterling and Rashford publicly shared their Christian faith just a few years ago it seems the dial has turned up with more footballers openly professing their faith, and often in the most spectacular of ways.
Players unafraid to name Jesus
In the last few months alone:
- Arsenal’s Noni Madueke, unashamedly thanked God in a post-match interview after scoring his first ever goal for Arsenal and in the Champions League. He said: “First of all I want to thank my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, its just amazing to be fair, first goal couldn’t have picked a better game…”
- The Arsenal winger’s fellow teammate Gabriel Jesus, expressed a similar sentiment after returning from injury: “First of all, I want to say thank you to God, if it was not for God, I am 100% sure I wouldn’t be here with this mentality, with this health, with this belief.”
- The Lionesses’ Michelle Agyeman, regularly displayed her faith during this Summer’s Women’s Euro tournament – from praying on the pitch to wearing socks with the cross on - drawing lots of media attention, to frequently posting Bible verses on her Instagram account including celebrating the Lionesses win with the verse, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
- In a recent press exchange, Jurrien Timber of Arsenal, nicknamed Pastor Timber by Arsenal fans, was asked by a journalist if he knew that his fans looked forward to his pre-match ritual of sharing Bible verses on social media and if so, what inspires his choices. Jurrien replied: “They [the verses] just come to me as I am speaking to teammates, to people around me such as family and friends, and I just come up with one that fits for that day or the game. I am just trying to bring the Word in to my thoughts.” On the occasions he forgets, his fans hold him to account. He said: “…I get a lot of messages if I don’t post…” He also talked about the centrality of his faith as a “way of life which he tries to live by” and the benefits of praying with the team before games as it brings unity and understanding’ being with fellow teammates who are Christian because of the similar lifestyles.
- When Bournemouth FC’s Antoine Semenyo’s proposed to his fiancé, Jordeen Buckley, the pair shared a Bible verse from Song of Solomon 3:4 ”I have found the one whom my soul loves”… in a post to his 300,000+ Instagram followers.
- There’s been a wave of baptisms among players including Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku who was baptised in September — leading to people asking questions as to the importance and meaning of baptism.
All of this has been amplified by social media, be it by the players themselves or through different outlets such mainstream media social media accounts (Sky Sports, Daily Mail etc) or through brilliant Christ-centred platforms such as Ballers in God to name a few.
Even mainstream papers are taking notice and covering this in depth. Just last weekend, several newspapers published articles dubbing Arsenal ‘The Bible Brothers’ because of the high proportion of professing Christians including manager Mike Arteta, even loosely attributing their recent string of success to their faith in God.
Goals turned Gospel opportunities
The conduct of these footballers is a glorious witness to Christ and is not going unnoticed, especially amongst non-Christians.
I recently had a conversation with a relative, a die-hard Arsenal fan who is not yet a Christian, who shared that she was touched by the conduct and behaviour of the players and couldn’t help but observe how many of them were Christians.
She said: “So many of the Arsenal players are showing faith and how it is guiding them; in the way they behave, the way they hold themselves, how they are respectful of their families in the public eye and how they attribute everything to God and their families. Even reflecting on Bukayo Saka and what happened to him a few years ago, when he experienced racial abuse because of the missed penalty at the Euros, it was touching when he said it was his faith that got him through. I remembered that. Every time I see these players talk, they seem like grounded guys who are very honest and transparent.”
This literally became a conversation starter to share more of the gospel. What made them like this? Where do they get their teaching from? Well, let me tell you…
The beautiful game is taking on a whole new meaning, with players embodying the verse “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news” (Isaiah 52:7). And with it, increasing the curiosity levels and interest amongst the non-Christian, football loving masses, creating opportunities for us ordinary believers to participate in this beautiful proclamation and confidently share our faith too.
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