As the Curaçao national soccer team prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, players and coaches recently gathered for a night of worship, prayer and testimony, publicly expressing their Christian faith ahead of the biggest tournament in the nation’s history.
Members of the Caribbean squad, known as the Blue Wave, participated in a worship service at their training hotel in Noordwijk, Netherlands, before traveling to the United States for the World Cup.
The event was organized in partnership with Presence Revival, an evangelism and worship ministry. Players, coaches and ministry leaders spent the evening praying, worshiping and reflecting on their faith as the team prepared for the international competition.
The selected players put aside for a few hours the tactical schemes, the blackboards and the intensity of physical training to surrender their hearts, raise their hands and unanimously give all glory and honor to the Creator on the eve of the most important tournament in the history of soccer in their nation.
One of the evening’s highlights came when Curaçao forward Kenji Gorré shared his testimony and spoke about the role faith plays in his life and career.
“When you are on the pitch, the world tells you that you depend on your own strength, your talent or fame, but the reality is that without Jesus we are nothing,” Gorré told those gathered. “Tonight we do not gather as athletes seeking human success, but as children of God who recognize that everything we have belongs to Him.”
According to organizers, the gathering fostered a spirit of unity and gratitude among players and staff. Team members prayed for wisdom, protection and guidance as they prepare to compete on soccer’s biggest stage.
Leaders with Presence Revival said they were encouraged by the players’ willingness to openly express their faith.
“The Curaçao National Team gathered tonight to worship Jesus with @presencerevival before leaving for the USA and the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” the ministry wrote on social media. “Before the games, they gave all glory and honor to God. It was a special night of worship, prayer and gratitude.”
The team’s World Cup appearance marks a historic achievement for Curaçao, an island nation of about 156,000 people in the southern Caribbean.
With a population smaller than many American cities, Curaçao is set to become one of the smallest nations ever to compete in a FIFA World Cup, making its qualification a milestone for both the country and its soccer program.
As the Blue Wave prepares to take the field, players say their faith remains at the center of their journey, regardless of the outcome of the tournament.
This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
Javier Bolaños is a journalist with more than 20 years of experience in radio, television and written press. He has extensive knowledge of the Latin American reality, having traveled to most all of the countries of the region. He has been the regional producer for Latin America of Global News Alliance (GNA), a news agency that is a partner of Christian Daily International.
He was general producer of CBN News’ Mundo Cristiano news program for 10 years and until recently also served as director of Evangélico Digital, an online publication focused on Latin America linked to the Spanish Evangelical Alliance. He has been an international correspondent for various media outlets covering presidential elections, natural disasters and major sporting events such as the Olympics and World Cups.
You can contact him at: [email protected]
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