Football player and pastor, this is the unusual destiny of this player, who played in particular for Brest and Lorient.
Religion is often important among top athletes, particularly in football, a field of faith but also of superstitions. We notice it in almost every broadcast: a significant number of players make religious signs when entering the field or scoring a goal. In some countries, religion also permeates the way people support their team.
In South America, for example, some players are venerated by supporters, such as in Argentina, where the death of Diego Maradona gave rise to almost religious tributes, to the point that we speak of “Maradonismo” to designate those who worship the former number ten of the albiceleste.
However, few players decide to get more involved in their faith, which most of the time remains an element of their private life. This is not the case for former Brest and Lorient player Oscar Ewolo. Born in Brazzaville, Congo, the former midfielder discovered the Evangelical Church during his training in Amiens, through his family.
“My mother converted, then my older sister, my younger sister and my brother. On December 31, 1998, to start the year, I decided to go to church. When I arrived, I was deeply moved by the love that was shown there, the love of the people for each other: they loved life!”, he assured in an interview.
When Oscar Ewolo arrived in Lorient in 2005, he continued to invest in the evangelical community, and trained in theology to become a pastor. In 2008, he founded the Evangelical Christian Church Christ Refuge pour Tous in Lorient. Within his teams, he also shared his evangelical experience, as he tells Ouest-France.
“Football is a great school of life. In 2011, with Stade Brestois, we experienced some great moments together. There was great harmony between us. Football is a team sport, but also very individual. And there has never been an ego problem in our locker room. It’s proof that we are much stronger when we decide to move forward together.”
Now retired from the pitch, Oscar Ewolo is still at the head of the Evangelical Christian Church Christ Refuge for All, which now has 5 branches and more than 400 faithful.