Don't put your faith in football

Omar Beckles has a message that will shock many fans: “If you put all your trust and faith in football, there’s going to be no peace."

And chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association Beckles goes further on the ‘beautiful game’ that to millions of fans has religious parallels, saying God is the best teammate of all.

The 32-year-old Leyton Orient defender (pictured above, speaking to students about mental health), who also played for Millwall, Crewe and Shrewsbury, told Sorted Magazine: “Within football, there’s so many emotions: you win, you lose.  

“My faith allows me a level of peace to not sway with the wind of emotion and just be more at peace.

“I think it actually empowers me to give my best, not just to a manager or fans or teammates that can actually disappoint me, because I can serve a God who’s always there, never leaves me, never forsakes me, and allows me to apply myself and give my best to glorify him.” 

It wasn’t always that way, however. Despite being born into a Christian family, Beckles “attended church because I had to, not because I wanted to”. He “knew of God, but didn’t have my own intimate personal relationship with him”, describing it as “second-hand faith”. 

THIS ISN'T THE END OF THE STORY!

Read the whole story in the April 2024 issue of New Life Newspaper.

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