An infectious passion

Tim Bechervaise looks at the faith of Ukrainian footballer Mykhaylo Mudryk

‘Be careful, loving Jesus you risk becoming happy.’ You might assume these are the words of a Christian fridge magnet or car sticker – certainly not the saying of a multi-million-pound Premier League footballer.

They feature in the Instagram bio of Mykhaylo Mudryk and a reflect a player who is not shy about Jesus. The speedy winger from Ukraine – who signed for Chelsea in January 2023 for an eye-watering £88.5 million – is among a generation of players increasingly open about their Christian faith.

It’s a far cry from the 1980s and 1990s, when faith was largely met with a frosty reception within the high-profile world of men’s professional football.
Back then, it was only ever about football, but with social media inviting us to know more about the people behind the players, and with a greater focus on issues such as social justice, mental health and equality, the landscape has changed. This has been aided by the influx of international footballers who are typically more expressive of their faith.

Mudryk is arguably more open than most. Whether in interviews, on social media or even his body, his love for Jesus is inescapable. ‘Sometimes parents force their views on children,’ he told Tribuna in 2019. ‘But it’s not in my case. No one forced me to believe in anything, I came to it on my own.

‘Aged 9, I read the Bible. I began believing in God and learning more about religion. Some people think it [religion] is to show off, for the public but they don’t know what and how I feel about God, why I talk about him all the time.’

On Instagram, he has an entire feed labelled ‘Jesus’ where posts include a visit to a nativity with the caption, ‘God first’. There is also a focus on prayer and praise, including, ‘Dear God, please help me control my emotions before they start controlling me.’

And then there are his tattoos. The one most important to him is on his neck and says ‘Only Jesus’ beneath an infinity sign. On the side of his right hand he has the letter F, and he has an E on the side of his left hand, so when he brings them together in prayer they say ‘Fe’, which is faith in Portuguese. There is also ‘Thank you God’ on his right index finger, a cross above his left thumb, and on his chest the prayer: ‘Dear God, if today I lose my hope, just remind me that your plans are better than my dreams.’

He is also said to carry religious icons with him to games, and more than £20 million of his transfer fee went towards Heart of Azovstal, which provides support for the individuals and families involved in defending Mariupol from the Russian invasion.

Mudryk is now 22, so has plenty of years ahead of him on the pitch and in the spotlight. With his infectious passion for Jesus, it’s exciting to see how his faith is reaching millions.

To watch a video about the faith of Mudryk click here.