by Rivaldo Ferreira
I was born in 1972 in Recife, a city located in the northern region of Brazil. I
had four siblings, and our family was very poor. We often didn’t have sufficient
money for food, clothes, or other necessities of life. My only toy was my football,
or soccer ball as it is called in America. I played outside in the streets with my
friends. It quickly became clear that I had been given a gift to play soccer.
My father dreamed I would be a professional soccer player. He supported
me and pushed me to be great. But when I was 16 years old, he was killed in
a tragic accident. He had been my biggest supporter. Me being a professional
soccer player was a dream we’d shared together. Now that he was gone, I was
overcome with sadness, and I didn’t want to continue to play without him. My
mother urged me not to quit and began to support my soccer career like my
father had done. So, I pressed on toward our goal.
In 1992, at the age of 19, I signed my first professional contract with a soccer
club in Brazil. I played in Brazil for many years until opportunities opened for me
to play in Europe. My career exploded when I moved to Barcelona. In 1999, at
the age of 27, I was named the World Soccer Player of the Year.
I have been called one of the greatest attacking midfielders to have ever played
the game of soccer. I’ve been inducted into soccer halls of fame and awarded
many trophies. In 2002, I won the World Cup with Brazil. I could list all my
accomplishments—there are many from my over 20-year career as a professional
soccer player—but they are not the focus of this story. The focus is how my life
was transformed by the love of Jesus. Of all the trophies I have received in my
lifetime, the greatest has been to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It is
my greatest victory.
I didn’t always know Jesus. Growing up, our family did not attend church;
we were Catholic in name only. I married my first wife, Rose, in 1994. We had
two children, Rivaldo Junior (Rivaldinho) and Thamirys. Unfortunately, Jesus was
not part of our lives, and our marriage was very complicated, full of fights and
mistrust. It did not last long. Eventually, we divorced, and I continued with my
career.
In 2003, I met Eliza, and everything changed. I remember the first time I
spoke to her on the phone. She told me that she was a believer in Jesus Christ.
I asked her, “Does this mean we cannot be friends?” This was the start of our
lives together.
I was stubborn and preoccupied with winning and being famous and
collecting the things of the world. My successful soccer career afforded me fame
and money. I could have anything I wanted…beautiful homes, fast sports cars
like Porsches and Ferraris, and women. But I saw something different in Eliza.
She had a peace about her and was very sure in her relationship with God. I had
no relationship with Him and didn’t understand her commitment to her faith, so
I often challenged it.
20 kojministries.org Issue 1 2018 Photography by Tim Smith Honor Photography
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