In many places around the world, if a football club or team is relegated to a lower division, it can be devastating on many levels — for a community, for those that work in the team’s front offices, and it can be disheartening for the fans, athletes, manger, and others. On the outside looking in, it may not seem that big of a deal, but it can have tremendous impact into the daily lives of people and on local economies.

This prayer is really a praise, based on Psalm 126. It is a praise offered as a fan of a team reflects on and acknowledges God’s help for the club being able to “escape” relegation or gain promotion to a higher division of soccer. Many times we desire to see the things that we care about and invest in succeed and do well — and God does care about the things we care about. This is balances with the simple truth, that much is up to God and His will, (and we may not always understand it or agree), but we can praise him to see worthwhile things we invest in do well and if you are a person of faith who works in a football club, all the more as a validation of your vocation and the context of your God-given work.

Perhaps you are about to get on a bus or a plane for the next match or to join a new team. Maybe you have a fear of flying, or you cannot rest on the long bus ride, or maybe there is a spiritual or emotional uncertainty as you leave. You leave behind familiarity, family, or something else for a new place, a new challenge — you may feel that you are ready, you may feel that you are not — and the travel to get there is a big barrier for you.

This prayer is designed to bring peace and comfort to the traveller — no matter how long the journey, no matter what lies ahead or behind.

Goals and goal setting is important in sports — for an individual and for a team. Sometimes certain goals are in conflict between an individual athlete and between the team. Sometimes a team or club might take steps to mitigate an individual’s goals to avoid a payout. Sometimes an individual athlete might selfishly put their own interests in front of what might be best for the team in a particular moment or in a particular match.

This prayer is for the one who is setting personal goals — but not just for football (soccer) but for life and for faith. It is a prayer that seeks to place a right priority on goals and goal setting.

Algunas lesiones en el futbol requieren de cirugía. Puede ser que la temporada de alguien se termino o que la carrera de alguien se terminó. Puede ser que alguien está enfrentando cirugía por primera vez, o tal vez, otra vez. No importa cuál sea la situación o circunstancia, la cirugía es difícil para quienes esta en el futbol y siempre hay mucho que perder – el contrato, salario, o algo más.

Esta oración es para alguien que tiene que pasar por cirugía. Es una oración por paz para el que enfrenta cirugía y pide por la habilidad del cirujano y de los enfermeros/as que ayudaran y por las limitaciones humanas, pidiéndole a Dios que haga un milagro para sanar y hacer que la persona quede como nueva.

Trades can be a blessing and a burden, it can mean saying goodbyes and hellos, it can be exchanging familiarity for uncertainty, it may be desired or undesired — all in the same moment. A new team, a new opportunity, a new challenge, but also it can mean leaving family, teammates, home, or a city and club that has been comfortable, friendly and familiar.

This prayer is for the one who has just learned that they have been traded or that a new team has finalized the contract and the athlete is going to be on the move.

Una lesión puede ser devastadora – especialmente para un jugador de futbol estrella. Puede que no sea una lesión “seria” – aun una leve lesión o torcedura de un musculo puede causar una exclusión de jugar o ser puesto fuera de los planes del equipo. Una pequeña insignificante lesión puede ser decisiva –  sabemos que un atleta “lucha para estar saludable” o si alguien tiene problemas para “estar en forma.” Algunas veces la lesión puede ocurrir y no hay buenos recursos para aplicarlos a la sanidad y la recuperación de un atleta y este puede ser despedido o desechado. 

Esta oración es para quien está luchando para recuperar su condición recuperarse de una lesión o dolor que le impide jugar y que puede llevar a alguien a sentirse dejado de lado o desmoralizado.

It is a unique time and space to be at the beginning of the construction of a new stadium ground or participating in a new football club being built up or commissioned. Because of the long-time popularity of the sport, many teams around the world have an old and storied history — but there are times when a club sees a new day. It might be when a new ownership group takes over. It might be in the appointment of a new team manger. It could even be in the building of a new stadium or “house,” as it were. It might be a new and developing team or league in a younger soccer nation.

This prayer, based on Psalm 127, is perhaps best suited for the club owner, team executive, or even the manager. It might be a prayer of blessing or dedication that is spoken at a christening or opening event for a stadium, or team facility, or embarking on a new venture as an organization. It is a prayer which ultimately acknowledges our own limitations in building things — and the need for God to intervene. Whether it is in having a successful season, a successful program or pathway for young athletes, or in having a well-run organization with a healthy culture — no matter what our position with a club is, there is a great need for God’s guidance and wisdom in managing and operating even things like a football club.

An injury can be devastating — especially for an elite, professional footballer. It may not be a “serious” injury — even a slight strain or tweak of a muscle can mean exclusion from playing of being put outside of the team’s plans. And small, niggling injuries can be deciders — word gets out that an athlete “struggles to stay healthy” or that one has a “problem staying fit.” Sometimes injury can occur and there aren’t good resources applied to healing and recovery, or an athlete may be dismissed or disregarded.

This prayer is for the one who is struggling to regain form or come back from an injury or pain that prevents playing and can leave someone feeling left out or demoralized.

There are times in an athlete, coach, staff, or even a family member’s life when complacency can set in. We can struggle to think that we need to improve or we can avoid or complain critique. There is sometimes a need to break out of the mold of the past and continue working on our selves — and this is best done, aided by God and in the midst of healthy community.

This prayer is a prayer asking for God to keep one from becoming complacent or lackadaisical — no matter what one’s level or role in the game or in life. It is a prayer that asks for the ability to take criticism and to celebrate success with integrity.

Athletes know mentality is critical, especially, at elite level of sport. Having the right mentality is key. What do you do to stay focused? How does one keep a mindset of peace? Whether it is the worry and stress of earning the next contract, or winning a starting role in the first eleven, or performing well in a game — there is a lot of pressure that can be on a person in football. This doesn’t even take into account the pressures that one might feel or struggle with personally, the “off the field” issues as it is sometimes known.

This prayer is a prayer for having the right mentality based on Philippians 4:8-9. Being a person of peace and a person at peace — whether an athlete, coach, executive, staff, or family member — means keeping a good, right, healthy mentality. It takes an effort to keep our minds on the good and noble and beautiful things. Especially when the rest of the world wants to bring us down in discouragement and dismay.