THE THEOLOGY OF HOPE AND SPORTS PRACTICE IN OLD AGE: A READING BASED ON THE WORK "FOOTBALL IN OLD AGE – HISTORY, PASSION, AND EMOTION"

Abstract

This article presents a theological analysis of sports participation among older adults, grounded in the Theology of Hope. Aging is approached as a constitutive dimension of human existence, extending beyond a merely biological understanding. The study aims to examine how soccer, as a sociocultural practice, can function as a concrete expression of meaning, belonging, and continuity of life. The research adopts a qualitative, bibliographic, and analytical approach, using the work Soccer in Old Age – History, Passion, and Emotion, by Valdemir da Silva, as a case study. The theoretical framework is primarily based on the thought of Jürgen Moltmann, in dialogue with classical and contemporary authors in theology and the human sciences. The findings indicate that sports participation in later life transcends physical benefits, emerging as a space for identity construction, community strengthening, and spiritual experience. It is concluded that sport, particularly soccer, can be understood as a concrete manifestation of Christian hope in the present time, contributing to the re-signification of aging as a phase of fullness, dignity, and existential continuity.