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The highlight of Marcos Senna’s career was winning the European Championship in 2008. He recalls the final: “The night before the final I felt I had no chance of sleeping so I took a sleeping pill and slept well all night. On the day of the final, I was really keen to play the match. It was a great day especially as all of Spain could share in the celebrations. And we won. From then on it was a time of great joy not just for Marcos Senna but for all the players who were part of it. Their lives changed because of being part of winning the Championship.” The quarter-final against Italy was an equally memorable game which was only settled in a penalty shoot-out. “We really celebrated the victory over Italy in the quarter finals if not more than the final because Spain had this barrier of not getting past the quarter finals in big tournaments. And of course, Italy were the 2006 World Cup winners. It was all down to God. We had practised penalties the day before but on the day we had played 90 minutes plus extra time. I was exhausted and had cramp everywhere. I knew that I would be one of the penalty-takers. I was calm and felt God’s Spirit coming on me and giving me peace and clarity and I was able to shoot well, score and do the business for Spain.” But why would a footballer who has everything – fame, money, success – still need God? He replies, “If you are worried about anything I do not think that money is the answer. Only God can give you happiness, peace and joy. Just talking about it makes me smile. Marcos Senna This has made me very happy and changed my life in every way. It is the best decision that anyone can make in their lives. I would sum it up like this: The difference that Jesus makes in my life is everything. Quite simply he makes all the difference. He says of the World Cup “I always wanted to play in the World Cup and I did it in 2006. Not everyone has the chance to play in the World Cup. But I wanted to win the World Cup. Of course I know that is difficult. But I will have the chance in 2010 to go with the Spanish team and win it.” I remember being at home in 1994 when Brazil won the World Cup. Even though it was far off, I imagined what it would be like to win the World Cup. In Brazil, everyone dreams of this. In 2002, I had the opportunity to be a World Cup winner and without a doubt, it was a special moment. It was a time when I could see the hand of God in every day. I believe that God has kept me on the Brazilian National Team and has kept me involved in great competitions. It was a very special moment! Once again, we had the opportunity to thank God for the whole world to see. Without a doubt my greatest football goal is to win one more title with the Brazilian National Team – the 2010 World Cup. People often have a wrong idea about the life of a footballer. “You are happy and joyful because you have money and you play for a big club, or for the National Team or because of good living conditions”. I think these are totally irrelevant and untrue. I believe that the fact I play for a great club, play on the National Team, the fact I have a wife and family who support me just shows me that I need God all the more because of the demands of the club, the National Team, and the attention I need to give to my wife and children. This is where we need God the most, because He gives us great talents and opportunities, but with them come great responsibilities. I believe it is in these moments where we need God the most. I always tell people, including my wife and children, that we need to seek God first and He will take care of the rest. Today, if I only had football, fame, titles, but didn’t have my family and didn’t have God, I would not be happy. This is why I don’t believe what some people say. I believe that in order to be happy, you have to be right with God. You have to be searching after God and walking with Him, and of course, with your family. Nicola Legrottaglie has been a rock in the centre of the Juventus defence for 6 seasons. His most memorable game for Juve was in the Champions’ league. “We played Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and won 2- 0. It was a wonderful match. I think that it will be remembered for a long time, and to have been a part of it brings me much joy and satisfaction”. He is approaching 20 appearances for Italy. He has already played in South Africa in the 2009 Confederations Cup. “The game against USA was fantastic! Because we won… it was the only match Italy won, and also the only one I played. It was really a positive experience.” He is planning on being there again in 2010. “Every player wants to play in the World Cup. For me, it would be a big dream come true. “I grew up knowing about Jesus but for years I wasn’t interested. Then I decided to put him to the test. I said, ‘OK Jesus, I want to see if you really exist, if you’re really Legrottaglie there… if you’re really real or if everything that I’ve been told is just a fairy-tale.’ By doing this I saw within myself that Jesus is real, Jesus is alive, Jesus is not a fairy-tale, and Jesus really rose from the dead in that tomb and he is alive today. When you seek him today, He answers you.” It proved to be a life-changing decision: “Jesus changes your mind completely. He changes the way you think, the way you act, which is a consequence. Then you can take on any situation, good or bad, with the peace and serenity of a child. And you know that in everything, and every problem, you have a father that can take care of it. So I live like this today, I know that my Father, who is my true Father in heaven, is taking care of all of my situations.” So has becoming a Christian made Nicola lose the traditional bite of an Italian defender? “Absolutely not. It is my job to defend the goal. God calls me to do my job at 100%. Give your best, says the Bible, as if you were doing it for Him. I can’t tell the attackers, ‘Come and score’.” “Being a Christian on the field does not mean letting your opponents win… no! It means giving 100%, so that your team wins, but at the same time eliminating all those attitudes that can scandalize other people. We have to give our best, 100%, but at the same time behave like Christians" Cyrille Domoraud was captain of the Côte d’Ivoire team which lost in the final of 2006 CAN and reached the World Cup for the first time the same year. He said “Qualification for Germany was very important for us because of the situation in which the Côte d’Ivoire was living. I think that for us to be able to qualify Côte d’Ivoire for the World Cup was a ray of sunshine in the people’s lives. For me, it was the icing on the “I have always believed in God but I only became a Christian, a real Christian, when I was playing for Marseille. Before that I believed in God but we’re an African family so my father wanted his son to be protected by witch doctors and fetishes. I always wore a ring that was supposed to protect me from spells and accidents and all that. But in spite of all that, when I would finish these rituals, I would always say a prayer. “I was playing for Marseille against Monaco in a Championship decider and I got hit in the eye with a ball. My older sister was always telling me to get rid of the ring and I was saying, ‘no, no, no’ and I insisted on |
