Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao, Forward (Colombia)
When his country finally made the World Cup in 2014 after 16 years, Radamel Falcao was injured. This time, Falcao, Colombia’s all-time scorer, is healthy and ready for the tournament. The current captain of Ligue 1 club AS Monaco, Falcao has been known to lift his jersey after he scores, revealing a T-shirt that says “Con Jesus nunca estara solo” (With Jesus you’ll never be alone). He’s also developed a reputation for hounding his teammates to read the Bible with him and attend church services. Falcao frequently posts on social media about his faith. Earlier this year, he reminded his nearly 17 million Twitter followers, “Jesus is our hope. He did it all for you. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe (…) you will be saved.”
Odion Ighalo
Odion Ighalo, Forward (Nigeria)
Even before he qualified for his first World Cup, Odion Ighalo knew he had much to be grateful for. Ighalo, 28, grew up with little access to clean water, food, and electricity, in one of the poorest parts of Lagos. Now playing for Changchun Yatai in China, he regularly sends a portion of his salary back to his family, dreams of opening an orphanage, and frequently thanks God for his life and soccer career on his social media accounts. “We didn’t always have what we wanted or needed, we had to struggle,” he told The Guardian. “It was difficult to live, difficult to eat and that is why I thank God when I look where I am now.”
