Copa America started yesterday, June 20, at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, GA in the United States. The continental competition kicked off with a match between current champions Argentina and Canada. But beyond the fine moves of Lionel Messi, Angel Di María, or Canadian Alfonso Davis, a message spoken during the opening ceremony of the competition caught the attention of social media.
"The message of Christ is still relevant for today, and He called us to peace, understanding and forgiveness. He also said, ‘Believe, because everything is possible for those who believe’. These words encourage us not to lose hope, to believe for great things, to believe that everything is possible. God bless all the nations of the American Continent, each team and each athlete, all the supporters, the authorities and the whole continental family, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!”
These words spoken by pastor Emilio Aguero in Spanish were heard through the loudspeakers in the stadium as well as through the TV broadcast. Then, they were repeated in English. Immediately, social media was filled with responses for and against that Christian message.
"The message of the Cross, symbolizing peace, hope and forgiveness, was the central message of the opening ceremony of Copa America 2024," pastor Juan Cruz Cellamare, chairman of the Alianza Evangélica Latina (AEL), told Christian Daily International.
"I know pastor Emilio Aguero Esgaib personally and I celebrate his involvement in such an important event as Copa America, lifting up the message of the Cross. I also know the chairman of Conmebol (Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol) Alejandro Dominguez, a man of faith and Christian life," he added.
Copa America takes place from June 20 to July 14 in different cities of the United States with national teams from countries from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean.
Originally published on Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.
