“We all believe that Jesus is glorified through the game, that is why we prayed”, said Christian German midfielder, Felix Nmecha, who scored the first goal.
Curaçao and Germany players praying after their match. / [link]Facebook ESPN UK[/link]
Curaçao, the smallest country in the 2026 World Cup, lost 7-1 against Germany in its first game this Sunday.
But the moment that has gone viral on social media and made headlines in sports news outlets, is the scene at the end of the match, when German players Felix Nmecha and Jonathan Tah joined several Curaçao players to pray together.
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“In the game we are opponents, but after the match we are all Christians and brothers. We simply said a little prayer together because we are all very grateful”, said German midfielder Nmecha, when asked about that moment.
“Of course the result, is nice for us, but we all believe that Jesus is glorified through the game, that’s why we came together and prayed”, he added.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder scored the opening goal in the sixth minute, and shortly before half-time he won a penalty for the German team.
Nmecha celebrated his goal by kneeling on the ground, pointing his right hand towards the sky and placing an imaginary crown on the pitch, a symbolism of giving all the glory to the Lord.
After this opening match for Germany at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nmecha posted a photo of his celebration on Instagram with the caption: “Thank you, Jesus”.
He also showed his faith before the game, by stepping off the team bus with a Bible in his hand.
The German international is very outspoken about his faith. His Instagram bio reads: “Football is my passion, Jesus is my foundation”. Nmecha often shares his testimony and Bible verses on his social media.
A few days before Germany's first match, he shared his faith journey in an interview with Fussball mit Vision (Football with a Vision), a platform created by a group of Christian current and former professional footballers who aim to “share their passion for the sport and for the Christian faith”.
The midfielder recalled that he “grew up going to church, doing Christian things, praying, telling people that I was a Christian, I saw myself as a good good person”, but during a long-term injury at 18 while playing at the Manchester City youth team, he “realized that I wasn't good and I'm actually in need of a Savior, and that brought me to Jesus”.
For the German player, “football is a huge blessing, but it will never give you the fulfillment that you think it does”.
“You win the Champions League, you want another Champions League. You win the World Cup, you want another one. Realising that only Jesus could fulfill me has helped me so much [...] there's so much peace, joy and truth in Jesus”, he concludes.
The Curaçao players also publicly showed their faith at the end of their training camp in the Netherlands, singing the well-known Christian worship song The Goodness of God and listening to the testimony of Kenji Gorré, one of their international players.
They continue to do so at the World Cup, praising God during training sessions and gathering at their team hotel to pray together just a few hours before their first match against Germany.
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