The fact that liberal-democratic countries such as Switzerland and Germany react so strongly to expressions of faith shows just how far secularisation has progressed. That is why I urge Ruben Vargas, Felix Nmecha and others to continue leavening the dough with a faith lived out genuinely.

We’re collecting stories about the football tournament from a Christian perspective. The faith of some Swiss players, David Alaba and Austria, Olivier Giroud, the origins of English football...