Sports
Of soccer players and prayers
Do prayers really help players?
Parade Correspondent
T
his is the question which most people ask themselves each moment players from their beloved teams line up at the goalposts while others take to the centre circle where they bow down before having a short prayer. It is also very common in our local football especially with DeMbare and Makepekepe soccer camps. The players are well known for seeking divine intervention before every match. The other year, former Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa made headlines through his move of sprinkling every player with ‘holy water’ before every match, all in a bid to emerge as the winner. Before the millennium, both local and regional soccer players were known for using magical powers often referred to as ‘juju’ to fortify themselves in search of glory. And the just ended Africa Cup of Nations saw many players bowing to the Almighty in search of His favour. There were often tales of goalkeepers claiming to s VR?&R7VVF??rF?v&G2F?Rv??v???R?F?W'2v?V?B6???F?6VR6??'B?V???WfW'?6?&?W"?bF?R?F6??'WB??F?W6R???V6??F???2?fR&V6??RF???r?bF?R7B?g&?6???W'2?fR&W6?'FVBF?v?N( ?2?vW"?F?R&V6V?Bg&?67W?b?F???26r???7BWfW'???W"&W6?'F??rF?v?N( ?2?vW"'WB?Bv2?????&? ( ?27F???7V??Rv??F???F?R?7B?Bv?????rV??G?v?F???2?2??f??r??RF??6R?bF?R&?&?6??????v??v2?V&B'?v?B???r6????6Rv?F???????6?FS??7?'G2W'6??2g&???V??BƒF????F??VGv&G2?F?RG&??R?V?W"??fR??7??V?&?WBF?R?vW"?bf?F??F?W?&V?WfR??F?ffW&V?BF?V???v?W2?'WB??v?V?B76W'BF?W??fR&V?Vf?FVBg&??F?V?"6??f?7F???2?2ƒWB?B??F?R'V??B?WF???26?6?v?F?vV?&vRf?&V?????sB?( ??r6????6Rv?F???????6?FS?( ?v??BW???Rv???2F?R'&????FV?v??6?6??&??W2&?W"v?F?7V66W72??Ff?V?FW"???2vV?????v?f?"??26V?V'&F???&?WF??Rv?W&R?R???G2&?F?f??vW'2F??VfV??"F?&WfV?B?6??'B&??FVB( ?&V???rF??W7W>( ??'WBF??2&V?Vb?2??B7&VFVB?WB?b??v?W&S??B?2??Vf7GW&VBv?F???6??FW?B???F???rF?B??'VW2F?RG&VF?V?Bv?F?w&VFW"WF?V?F?6?G?v???7G&V?wF?V?&V?Vb?&vV?F?????VvV?BF?Vv??&F??F???VBF?R( ???B?bv?N( ?v?V??RFV6V?fVBF?Rv?&?BgFW"66?&??rW6??r??2??B??7FVB?b??2?VB?F?R?6V&?VffV7B&?f?FW2??R?76?&?RW???F???2F?v??F??6Rv?F?&V?v??W2&V?Vg2?fR&WGFW"?V?F??WF6??W2??N( ?2??B?W7B6?&?7F??2v??&V?WfRF?R?vW"?bv?B??F?V?"7?'F??r7F?f?F?W2'WB?F?W"&V?v??W26V7G2f?"W???RF?R?W6??2?B'VFF??7G2??Bv?V?B6VV?F?B?B?2??BF?R6??FV?B?'WBF?R7G&V?wF??b&V?VbF?B?GFW'2?66?&F??rF???R?'&??wF???&?fW76?"?b?VF?6???7F?'?B?f&BV??fW'6?G??( ?F?W&R?2????FR66?G?f?"?W"&?F?W2F?'&??r??F?&V??r?F?F?R&W7B?bF?V?"&??G??F?R?F??7F?266V?&????v??6?vRfW'fV?F?&V?WfR?( ?WfV?v?g&??f?F??F?W&R&RW???W2v?W&R&V?Vb6?V"F?6??vR?WF6??W2??7?'B?v??VWW"?&?66?v'?W"?2v?&?F?R6?R6???G26??6R?Rv2bv???R??6?W7FW"V??FVN( ?2?????2v?F???26?6?2F?Rw&??rv?&?V?B?EfV''V'?#2vR????F?R&FR????&'v^( ?2??7B&VB?fW7G??R?v???P???