No. 2 proved to be a lucky number for Spain, which went on to win the World Cup 2026 title via a 1-0 extra-time triumph over defending champion Argentina.
The 2026 victory is the second for Spain in 23 World Cup tournaments since the quadrennial event since was started in 1930.
The first title for Spain came in 2010, when it defeated Netherlands with an identical 1-0 triumph, also registered in extra time.
In only two championship appearances, Spain won both titles. Its previous best performance was a fourth-place finish – that was 76 years ago, in 1950.
Spain topped the Group H stage with two wins – 4-0 over Saudi Arabia and 1-0 over Uruguay – and a 0-all deadlock with Capi Verde enroute to the Round of 32.
In the knockout stage, the eventual champions prevailed over Austria (3-0) in their Round of 32 match and over Portugal (1-0) in the Round of 16.
It allowed its opponent (Belgium) the only goal (2-1) in the quarterfinals in its knockout-stage run before blanking France against its two markers.
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World Cup 2026 will be remembered, too, for, among others, the public demonstration of faith among athletes.
The showing of faith was apparently heightened as it is allowed and protected by the First Amendment in stadiums in the United States, where most matches were held.
Faith and Freedom Report, a U.S.-based online publication, noted a number of instances when faith was professed and demonstrated on the soccer pitch.
• Spanish team captain midfielder Rodrigo ‘Rodri’ Hernandez Cascante, Golden Ball Award recipient for the best player in the finals, publicly credited God after Spain defeated Argentina.
“His public testimony demonstrates the growing confidence of Christian athletes who refuse to hide their father even under intense scrutiny of global competition,” FFR said.
“I’m a Christian and I’m sure someone up there has helped,” he was quoted as saying.
• Fernan Torres, the Spanish forward who scored the winning goal, was shown on video to have immediately pointed to heaven, which he apparently described in a later interview, as a gesture of acknowledgment after leaving things in God’s hand.
• Spanish Coach Luis Dela Fuente is known for making the sign of the cross while on the sidelines – an act, he said, that is built on lifelong faith and gratitude.
• The publication also cited the halftime performance of pop superstar Justin Bieber, who sang his “Everything Hallelujah”, which the publication described how prominent international events can be used by believers “to maintain their witness while engaging in mainstream culture.”
Bieber is an active Christian and has been known for publicly professing his faith.
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Various online sites listed down other World Cup players who prayed on the pitch during their games.
• Lamine Yamal, the Spanish teenage star, dropped to his knees to perform an Islamic prayer of gratitude amid a chaotic altercations and celebration nearby.
• Following the match for third place, players of both England and France gathered in a circle to play together.
• Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo dropped to his knees to pray following their upset win against Germany.
• American players huddled together in post-game prayers.
• Lionel Messi regularly made the sign of the cross and expressed his faith.
It’s a relatively long list of scenes of expression of faith since the tournament started on June 11 until is culmination on July 19.
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The demonstration of faith on the sports arena is not really a novel spectacle.
Contemporary and recent sports personalities have made public their faith in various ways before.
“Tebowing” became a byword in the American sports scene to imply the dropping to one’s knees in prayer while resting one’s head on the fist. The act is attributed to NFL quarterback Tim Tebow which became viral in 2011.
Tebow, son of missionaries, was born in the Philippines. He eventually established the Tim Tebow Foundation, a child-focused humanitarian ministry all over the world, including in Mindanao where he grew up.
Other athletes who are known for the demonstration of their faith include NBA superstar Stephen Curry Kevin (he usually points to heaven after making great plays), Kevin Durant (he has religious tattoos reflecting his beliefs), Olympic 400-m hurdles gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (she says she’s running for the glory of God) and multi-titled gymnast Simone Biles (she carries a white rosary in her bag which she uses before competition).
Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala, is on the list, too (she openly admitted relying on prayer – even while in an actual game – in her tournament tour.
We don’t forget Manny Pacquiao, who views his faith “as his ultimate identity” and is known for saying that “true victory lies not in championship belts or worldly applause, but in knowing and trusting God.”
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Looking back at the just-concluded World Cup, Faith and Freedom Report, recognized the courage of sports personalities in demonstrating their faith on the playing field.
It wrote: “The convergence of athletic excellence and Christian testimony at the World Cup final reflects a broader trend of athletes refusing to compartmentalize their faith. Rather than separating their spiritual lives from their professional achievements, these competitors recognize that their talents come from God and deserve to be acknowledged publicly.”
Indeed, as the publication said: “The 2026 World Cup final will be remembered not just for Spain’s victory, but for the way faith intersected with sports at the highest level.” These testimonies, it concluded, remind us that “no platform is too large or too secular for acknowledging the One who gives us strength and ability.”
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Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) | NWI
