Defeat and Consolation

Each team eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will receive roughly US$9 million in prize money from FIFA. Teams reaching the Round of 32 will earn US$11 million, the Round of 16 US$15 million, the quarterfinals US$19 million, fourth place US$27 million, third place US$29 million, runners-up US$33 million, and the champions US$50 million.

So why do we see grown men on the football pitch in tears when they are forced to accept defeat and elimination? Clearly, they are not mourning the loss of prize money. Nor are they simply worried about losing their jobs, as around twenty World Cup players secured new contracts before the tournament even ended. They are striving for something far greater and more valuable than money, yet they fall short of attaining it.

From my perspective as a football fan, those tears are not merely the result of physical exhaustion after ninety relentless minutes on the pitch. They come from a deep sense of disappointment, knowing they must begin again from scratch over the next four years: preparing, rebuilding squads and coaching staff, qualifying once more, and repeating the entire journey. 

Illustration: An evening on the Cor Jesu's yard.

"Every Storm Passes"

People who follow indigenous belief systems often lead simple daily lives, and they apply the same outlook when facing defeat, loss, hardship, or misfortune. Followers of Siberian Indigenous Faith see such experiences as temporary rather than permanent, encouraging people to move beyond discomfort instead of remaining trapped within it.

The offerings they present while recovering from the shock of failure are meant to bring their awareness back to the present moment. They are not intended to persuade unseen spirits or mysterious forces to perform miracles that instantly reverse their circumstances. After all, human beings are not passive entities; they possess the freedom to shape and make use of the natural world.

For Siberian communities that have survived generations in a harsh environment, failure and adversity are integral to their spirituality. Returning home without meat or fish is not interpreted as nature's punishment, but as an ordinary possibility that can happen to anyone.

An excessive emotional reaction is not considered a solution, nor is making offerings while one's heart is unsettled. Spiritual confusion is believed to arise easily in such moments, so individuals are expected to resolve their inner turmoil before engaging in acts of worship. Ultimately, no one else can heal that inner wound for them.

Consolation is around the corner

In football, as in many other sports, the cure for the sadness of defeat is to rise, try again, and keep going until success comes. Of course, many athletes and footballers eventually accept their circumstances, retiring because age catches up with them before the achievements they dreamed of ever arrive. Yet many others move beyond disappointment and discover new opportunities they never expected.

Social media has opened entirely new careers for many legendary footballers from the 1990s and early 2000s. Ironically, rivals who once battled fiercely on the pitch often become close friends later in life, enjoying renewed popularity through podcasts where they laugh together at the youthful antics that once defined them. (dswas).