Sports Chaplaincy for England, who offer pastoral support to players in the Premier league and EFL, note that ‘within English football there are a lot more players of faith than there used to be’.

The charity Christians in Sport agrees. ‘There’s been a sea-change in the past 25 years, but the momentum has particularly been in the last 5’.

Chine MacDonald, of the Religion and Society Think tank, Theos, suggests sportspeople are more superstitious. ‘Even among the non-religious players there’s a lot of signing the cross, kissing the pitch or pointing to God after scoring a goal...this shows the human belief and attraction to the supernatural as a way to make sense of your fortune and your future’. And many players, particularly of Afro-Caribbean heritage, are very open about their faith, like Arsenal and England player, Bukayo Saka.

Aged 22, Saka proclaims to 6.4 million followers on Instagram that he is ‘God’s child.’ His well-thumbed study bible, a gift from his dad, is one of the things he says he can’t live without. ‘I try to read it every night before I go to bed’ he said. ‘I try to memorise the messages and take it into my life. He’s kept close links with his C of E primary School and talks to pupils about the importance of his faith... ‘how his faith in God has supported him to deal with setbacks and overcome challenges. What better kind of person is there to inspire our pupils’ asks the current headmistress, ‘than someone who attended their school?’...

'Give it all you've got 'cause you've really got a lot

Give it heart, give it mind, give it soul, don't stop!'

(‘Give it all you’ve got’ - School Leavers’ song)

with love and prayers

Jenny