Holding Out for Humanity – World Cup Moments That Gave Us Hope

Every major sporting event comes with its fair share of head-turning moments. The goals. The upsets. The celebrations and the heartbreaks. And whether or not you’re a “sports” person, sometimes you just can’t help but root for the humanity of it all.

Like so many people, we’ve found ourselves checking the scores, rooting for the underdogs and reading the headlines. All the while, it hasn’t escaped our notice that sports, like every other corner of society, are a microcosm of the challenges we’re grappling with more broadly.

Racism, misogyny, hate, politics, and polarization seem to rear their heads no matter the context. The World Cup is not immune. Some of the tournament’s biggest names have found themselves at the centre of troubling allegations or harmful rhetoric.

And yet, we’ve also seen some seriously human moments. Folks reminding us that leadership isn’t measured in goals scored or trophies hoisted into the air. A lot of the time, it comes down to how we treat those around us, how we respond to adversity, and how we use our platforms when all the world is watching.

Take players like Erling Haaland, whose accomplishments on the pitch speak for themselves. What’s struck us is the reputation he’s built away from it. We can’t help but beam when we see him offer his time to young supporters, always acknowledge his team before himself, and carry his success with humility. It’s been a real reminder that talent and kindness don’t have to exist in silos.

Then, of course, there’s Kylian Mbappé, who has hit back fiercely and directly in response to the racism he has endured throughout his career. And when Paraguayan senator Celeste Amaralli bitterly referred to him as a "colonized Cameroonian, trying so hard to pretend to be French," we were all appalled. Facing that kind of vitriolic hate when you’re trying to do your job is unconscionable, but what stood out to us was the poise and conviction with which he responded – refusing to let rhetoric define the conversation.

Choosing to condemn prejudice firmly and empathetically really stands out in the current landscape.

Closer to home, we’ve loved seeing Canada enter the conversation. Our historic run to the Round of 16 under head coach Jesse Marsch was undeniably inspiring. What warmed our hearts more, though, was the emphasis on coming together (even in the face of serious injury), recognizing one another and building teams where people feel like they belong.

The World Cup won’t solve the challenges our communities are facing. That’s not exactly within the purview of a sporting event. But it does encourage us to recognize those using their platforms to bring people together and to remember that leadership boils down to how we treat one another. And that’s a lesson worth listening to. Especially in the current climate.