Road to the 2026 World Cup: Soccer gives birth to celebrities, gods and new religions

JAKARTA - Football stadiums are synonymous with the cinema stage. For example, the film shooting arena is likened to a football match. Therefore, all crew are guaranteed to be involved in it. The director's department, the main actors, supporting actors, stand-in actors, scriptwriters, set decorators, the audience and also the media that broadcast the activities to all corners of the world.

This 2026 blockbuster, is a film titled FIFA World Cup 2026, which produces 104 episodes. The difference is only one, in the football match there is no re-take (repeated shooting). 90 minutes, for the in-actions of the 'artists' are given, only one chance. The result: lose, win or draw and then can be tos-tosan alias, penalty shootout before advancing to the next round.

Under the supervision of the referee who became the "director", the players acted out their excess acting on the field. Some are acrobatic, some are diving, or some pretend to scream in pain.

In the "puppet child" performance, the scriptwriter is played by the coach. Often, he as an architect outside the field, can only be able to see the reality, that what happens on the field does not go as he wrote.

Then who is the producer? The answer, in the 2026 World Cup film, this position is certainly held by FIFA. The highest caste institution of the most powerful organization in the world. Therefore, the "celebrities" who will be in Canada, Mexico and the United States, for 39 days, June 11-July 19, are very glamorous.

Like a producer, FIFA sometimes has a dictatorial attitude, which only unites the best devices and personnel used in his films. In his mind there is only one, winning the Oscar and the film must be successful in the market and become a box office. Moreover, nowadays football can be regulated and subject to the interests of television and sponsors.

Therefore, FIFA held a casting called the qualifying round, in five continents. As a result, only the 48 best countries out of about 202 countries can play in the film. Supporters who flocked to the stadium, known as the audience, were not only given the task as mere spectators.

They were twenty-two (22) men kicking the ball, and Argentina at the 2022 World Cup as the jawaranyta. It seems that everyone was emotionally involved in the performance.

Likewise, Canada, Mexico and the United States, who were appointed as hosts, want to try. Especially Mexico, which has hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cups and, the United States in the 1994 World Cup, wants to reminisce, and score spectacular entertainment in the 21st century.

Football has become a "stage theater of life". Millions of people are involved in it. From the various roles they play, from shouting joyfully, hysterically, or vice versa angry, embarrassed, whining, swearing, there is also no shortage of conspiracies, which are ready to be printed by FIFA.

For me, linking the 2022 World Cup is, with the 2026 World Cup. Like a good colossal filmmaker. As if, man under the sky, can't ensure the end of this colossal film?

The reason is that the film that will be played on the 'green screen' is ready to be held, and is waiting for the whistle of the "referee" and the name of the referee, assisted by VAR. This means that before the whistle ends, in the final match at the Asteca Stadium, Mexico, June 11, 2026. In conclusion, the 'Oscar' winner for football, is still awaited by billions of pairs of eyes, until July 19.

The journey of the Jules Rimet Trophy (1930 - 1970) which became the World Cup Trophy (1974 to the present). Football is like a fairy tale, legend, folklore, or similar superstition, which was born thousands of years before human civilization.

In fact, on the green field for thousands of years, giving birth to modern football. From this 22-player game, it finally accidentally emerged a new embryo. As if a "new religion" or "god" was born.

Since Brazil, won the Jules Rimet world title in 1958, Pele was only 17 years old. And, at that time, the general chairman of the PSSI in Brazil, Joao Havellange (later became the president of FIFA), had flatly refused Pele's inclusion in the 'Jogo Bonito' squad. However, it turned out that in Sweden, at the final, Pele's name was the hero. And, continued until Brazil won the third Jules Rimet Cup (the embryo of the World Cup Trophy) in 1970.

Since introducing the all-time 'The Dream Team' in the 1970 Brazilian team, the Brazilian people, who now number 213 million, have felt the pulse, as the blood of "Football as a New Religion". The Brazilian people consider "Football" not only as a sport, but they consider it as a religion.

The preview of the 2026 FIFA World Cup film has begun, when Carlo Ancelotti, announced the 26-player squad, May 18, 2026. Just look, the residents of Brazil, who have already declared, the sole owner of the DNA of football, are waiting for Ancelotti to name Neymar Jr, as the number 10 player, in the squad list for the 2026 World Cup.

The atmosphere is crowded at the Museum do Amanha, Rio De Janeiro. According to the FIFA screenwriter. That, the announcement of the Brazilian squad, signifies that television and sponsors, are directly involved in "wrapping" the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the most switch and glamorous event of 2026, towards the "boxoffice" ladder.

This indicates that the Brazilian people, with a history, football is similar to "Religion", Complete, building its super luxurious structure, has a "God", which they call 'Pele'. Therefore, when it was about to leave for America, the plane carrying the Brazilian national team, was baptized - blessed, Semim, June 2, 2026, at Galeao Airport, Rio de Janeiro.

If it's related to ideology. There is a "Lucifer" named "Ademir" Si Fallen Angel. Brazilian citizens have also created "Dajjal", named Moacir Barbossa, the goalkeeper of the Brazilian national team who was broken, the Uruguayan striker, Alcides Ghiggia. To bury Brazil's fate, as the champion in the 1950 World Cup, in public, the Maracana Stadium.

There is a story, 12 years ago in Argentina, the BBC Knowlegde presenter duo made a feature film "The Road to Rio", namely Mark Watson and Henning Wehn, as many episodes. The story is, they both worship the Argentine legend, Dieago Maradona.

Mark and Henning are comedians, invited to be 'hosts'. The two of them, very surprised, saw a not luxurious building, at the gate, a big sign, "Iglesia Maradoniana Church". Inside the building, the atmosphere is the same as Catholic churches, some are still praying, silent and devout.

For followers of Diego Armanda Maradona, the Iglesia Maradoniana (English: Church of Maradona, literally the Church of Maradonia), as a "religion". According to the Wikipedia page, the "religion" was created, by Maradona fans, after retiring as an Argentine football player.

The story, it is very trusted and believed, that Maradona is a player of all time, until the end of time, who is appointed as a god - "God". Now, his followers have reached 4 million people.

"The Iglesia", founded, October 30, 1998 (Maradona's 38th birthday) in the city of Rosario, Argentina. This can be seen as a type of "syncretism" or as a "religion". It's just, depending on how each person, wants to define from "religion" when to use it?

"I have a rational religion, which is Catholicism, and I have a religion according to the heart, passion, and that is in the figure of Diego Maradona," said Alejandro Veron, one of the founders.

For them, supporters of the "Maradonian Church" are considered to have stood up, counted from the birth of Maradona, October 30, 1960.

One of the fun things, when Mark and Henning attended a service at the Iglesia Maradoniana Church, similar to the Catholic religion, where there are "10 Commandments of God". Meanwhile, in the "Iglesia" church, there are also guidelines for "10 Maradona Commandments".

From the mainland of Latin America, carnivals, music, and balls have surpassed "religion". Different, from the point of view in the European mainland. From this region, football, becoming a "selling football player" event, is part of a very powerful business tool.

You all, must know David Beckham. From the figure of the English national player, the world of football became dazzling.

David Beckham, never a great player at the World Cup. Even in the England national team since winning the 1966 World Cup title, to this day, has not been able to qualify for the final. It's just that, in Beckham's time, he was able to 'cook' as a very phenomenal figure.

As if it were fantastic, like a "fairytale" country. His marriage, with Victoria "Posh" Adams, one of the Space Girls' vocalists, became an "icon" that is second to none, to this day.

The two were also hailed as the perfect couple, as if they were eternal. Cool, rich, handsome and beautiful appearance. Considered spectacular. Both, have a brilliant career.

The pair of footballers and singers, as well as designers, became fairy tales in the 3rd millennium. Until the 2026 World Cup, the Beckham-Victoria couple was named the "celebrities" of all time'.

Of all the living legends, it's not as great or as big as Pele, Maradona, Messi, and Beckham. However, that doesn't mean that the players who have been raised in the giant World Cup Trophy event don't have bombastic stories?

Just look, those who have hung up their boots, like Carlos Alberto - Brazil 1970, Franz Beckenbauer - West Germany 1974, Mario Kempes - Argentina 1978, Paolo Rossi - Italy 1982, Rudi Voeller - West Germany 1990, Romario & Bebeto - Brazil 1994, Zinedine Zidane - France 1998, Ronaldo - Brazil 2002, Allesandro Del Piero - Italy 2006, Fernando Torres - Spain 2010, Miroslav Klose - Germany 2014, Mbappe - France 2018, and the last Lionel Messi - Argentina 2022. They actually become an inspiration for poor children in the world.

They are the heroes of their nation, beyond the war between countries like yesterday's Iran vs Israel with the help of the United States, which is the real one.

They laid the foundations, a human child who was originally a poor child, had dreams, and then was able to prove it on the green field, through his skills, talent and intelligence.

The theater of life, in fact, is passed after they hang up their shoes, and become "little gods" in their country, in their neighborhood, and in their community.

Since the 1930 World Cup, until the 2022 edition held in Qatar, for the 22nd time, there have been a handful of first-class star maestros. However, there are also many great players, who have not felt the World Cup title like Ferenc Puskas - Hungary 1954, Johan Cruijff - Netherlands 1974, Zico - Brazil 1982, Roger Milla - Cameroon 1990, Hristo Stoichkov - Bulgaria 1994, David Beckham - England 1998, Ahn Jung Hwan - South Korea 2002, Diego Forlan - Uruguay 2010, Neymar Jr - Brazil 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal 2018, and Luka Modric - Croatia 2022.

Now, at the 2026 World Cup Trophy in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Can the young children dream like Pele, Maradona, Messi and David Beckham?

We'll see, June 11-July 19, 2026, names such as Lamine Yamal (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Michael Olise and Desire Doue (France), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Endrick (Brazil), Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal), Giberto Mora (Mexico), Arda Guller and Kenal Yildiz (Turkey), Erling Haaland (Norway) or Nico Paz (Argentina) will follow in the footsteps of their seniors, becoming "Gods" or scoring "New Religion"?