11 World Cup stars who are also Christians...

As the World Cup kicks off in Brazil Christian Today presents a (very attacking) XI of players who'll be representing their countries there, and are open - to varying degrees - about their Christian Faith.

Tim Howard - Goalkeeper, USA Like team-mate Brad Guzan, with whom he'll compete for the goalkeeper's jersey in Brazil, Howard is a strong evangelical Christian who has appeared in various evangelistic films and resources.

David Luiz - Defender, Brazil

Famously used to drive to training at his old club Benfica in a van with a 'Christ is Life' sticker on it, then at Chelsea laid hands on team-mate Fernando Torres live on Sky TV. Torres went on to score twice in a 5-0 win.

Thiago Silva - Defender, Brazil

Strong Christian who credits his recovery from tuberculosis to God. He told French channel Canal+ "I almost died from TB in Russia several years ago. God saved me."

Wesley Sneijder - Midfielder, Holland

The Dutch midfield maestro - one of the stars of the last World cup - was baptised a Catholic after being influenced by his devoutly-religious wife, and Catholic team-mate Javier Zanetti.

Raheem Sterling - Attacking Midfielder, England On a journey of faith after a wild-child period - he now tweets Bible passages and claims to pray before games. He told the Daily Mail: "When the time is right, I will fully be Christian. My mum is a big help, a big influence in that. Faith is an important thing for me. Every match day I put faith in God."

Park Chu-Young - Striker, Korea Republic

Exciting attacker who, despite a frustrating period at Arsenal, told the Guardian: "The first and main reason why I play is to evangelize people. It would make me happy if just one person became interested in Christianity because of me."

Daniel Sturridge - Striker, England

Makes no secret of his Christian faith, regularly crediting heaven when things go his way.

Javier Hernandez - Striker, Mexico

The Manchester United forward is famous for praying on the pitch before kick-off.

Shola Ameobi - Striker, Nigeria

The former Newcastle striker and his brother Sammy are two of the Premier League's most vocal Christians. Shola told The Guardian: "It's hard for any Christian in a secular world not to conform to the pressures to do things other people are doing. That's one of the things I've been dealing with, or trying to deal with, most of my career."

And then there's...

Wayne Rooney - Striker, England Self-confessed God TV viewer who found Todd Bentley's revival services 'powerful and touching' - has his strike partner Sturridge been having a word?

and even...

Cristiano Ronaldo - Attacking Midfielder / Forward, Portugal Arguably the world's best player in the last year, Ronaldo is a practicing Catholic, who told the Daily Mirror in 2013 that faith was 'one of his priorities'.

News
English Heritage accused of whitewashing Christianity from Easter
English Heritage accused of whitewashing Christianity from Easter

One visitor to an English Heritage site took exception to what he called the “whitewashing” of history.

US criticised for failing to bring up religious freedom in Iran talks
US criticised for failing to bring up religious freedom in Iran talks

The USA has failed to bring up religious freedom in its engagement with Iran

US missionary kidnapped at gunpoint is rescued unharmed
US missionary kidnapped at gunpoint is rescued unharmed

Five days after he was kidnapped by armed men from his church in Motherwell, South Africa, Tennessee missionary Josh Sullivan was rescued and “miraculously unharmed” following a “high-intensity shootout” that left three people dead.

Will Christian movies ever make an impact in the UK?
Will Christian movies ever make an impact in the UK?

More recently, I’ve enjoyed Christian movies Unsung Hero and Jesus Revolution on limited release in the UK, but it’s rare for such films to make the multiplex chains.