Article June 9, 2014 Issue

Spiritual perspective on the World Cup

Kim Shippey

This article was written for the June 2014 French, Portuguese, German, and Spanish editions of The Herald of Christian Science.

Nothing comes closer to being a universal game than Association Football (soccer, in the United States). As a result, no other sports event this year is likely to command quite so much attention across the globe as the International Football Federation’s quadrennial World Cup tournament, to be held in Brazil from June 12 to July 13, 2014.

Skeptics point out that such gatherings all too often bring out the worst in players and spectators, and that the financial burdens loom large, especially for host nations. The organizers might recoup their mind-boggling investment across several years of planning, preparation, and stadium building, but is it worth it? Also, who needs the tension posed by security risks?

But there are other sides to international events of this magnitude. For many of us, they instantly bring to mind spiritual qualities everyone is called upon to express, on and off the field—stamina, skill, concentration, and teamwork. We might add fairness, unselfishness, self-discipline, and an openness to others’ cultures, languages, and history. These are qualities that reach far beyond football pitches into all corners of everyday life.