Taffarel celebrates winning the World Cup of 1994 as Roberto Baggio stands, dejected
“It was derby day in Belo Horizonte, but that wouldn’t change anything. Joao Leite believed he had a mission assigned to him by Jesus Christ: to spread God’s word among other football players. So that afternoon in December 1982, just like he’d done for every match for the past three years, the Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper randomly approached an opponent before the big game started. … At the time, Gomes found it all a little strange given the circumstances. He even admitted to feeling in some way angry as he was handed the book. But that initial feeling later changed and he did actually join Leite’s religious movement – Athletes of Christ. He was far from the only convert….”
BBC (Video)