The hand of God was Maradona's hand, actually a pagan god. The hand that Ronald Araujo seeks, however, is not the cunning limb with which the Argentine deceived the world to win a World Cup in 1986. It is the hand of the God who inspires his faith, as he understands that only in His mercy will he find relief for the suffering of his soul. Like Ainara, the protagonist of Los Domingos, does to the astonishment and disbelief of those around her, in this case at the Blaugrana club, albeit with respect for one of the most beloved footballers in the dressing room.
The Uruguayan player travelled to the Holy Land to meet Jesus, to feel Him at the stations of the Via Crucis or on the Mount of Olives, and return with the goal, like a resurrected man, instead of choosing scientific therapies to address his mental health issues. The paths of faith are intangible aspects that psychology does not judge or despise, but it questions whether they will be sufficient, whether Araujo will be able to rise again if he falls once more with the cross on his shoulders.
The fear of failure eventually led Araujo, 26, to confine himself at home after a mistake and an expulsion in a Champions League match against Chelsea, where Barcelona was defeated. The Blaugrana club does not have a psychologist attached to the first team. Neither does Real Madrid, something that raises eyebrows in the sports psychology sector, despite both clubs having had cases that would have warranted such attention.
Iniesta and Bojan were the most relevant cases, but at Valdebebas they also linked injuries and Illarramendi's failure at Madrid to the inability to handle pressure, or there were those who believed that Vinicius should have had professional help to control his anger. Only if a player requires it, clubs offer or allow them to seek help on a personal basis.
Araujo was no exception. Barcelona, with the intervention of Deco and the approval of Hansi Flick, made it available to him and offered the player the time he needed to recover. They even suggested to the centre-back that he travel to Uruguay to recover emotionally in the warmth of his family environment and especially under the guidance of his father figure. Celestino Araujo is not just a father figure to the footballer. He is a role model, as the player himself recounts, someone who instilled in him a sense of responsibility and the culture of effort from a young age, and whom he has turned to in times of doubt. However, to the surprise of many, Araujo appeared in Jerusalem under the hood of his sweatshirt, besieged by young people seeking a selfie.
A sports giant can be as vulnerable as anyone, but they cannot have the privacy of an ordinary person. Araujo was not a pilgrim seeking refuge in anonymity, even if that was his intention. Despite the region's troubled history, many places in the Holy Land have remained unchanged from how they are described in the Bible, with agreements and disagreements between theology and archaeology. Even for those of us who are not believers but have been educated in Christian culture, the settings are overwhelming, as if an earthy force underlies them. For those who profess faith, the effect is truly one of epiphany: "We can hear Jesus, feel Him as we step where He stepped, and touch where He touched."
Araujo listened, returned, played, and scored in the Copa match against Albacete. "The glory, Lord, is not for us, but for your name, because of your great love and faithfulness," he wrote on his social media profile, with a photo of his celebration, covering his face with one hand and raising the other to point to the sky. It was his way of saying that it was not his goal, but God's goal.
The Uruguayan is a follower of the Methodist Church, one of the denominations within Protestantism, which worships the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and does not recognize apostolic succession or the authority of the Pope. In fact, he got married in the Methodist Church of Montevideo to his partner since adolescence, Abigail Olivera, with whom he already had two daughters.
While Araujo's spiritual journey in search of emotional recovery is not common among footballers, religiosity is widespread among many players, especially South Americans and Brazilians. Rivera, the city where the defender hails from, in northern Uruguay, borders Brazil and is heavily influenced by the neighbouring country's culture. This includes religion as well.
From Donato to Kaká, who claimed to have remained chaste until marriage due to his beliefs, faith even extends to Dani Alves, who after being acquitted of a rape charge, has reappeared as a guest preacher in an evangelical parish in Girona. After his time in prison, Alves says he made a "pact with God."
Araujo's pacts are known only to the player, with whom Barcelona wants to proceed with sensitivity, especially his coach. After starting in Albacete, he did not play against Mallorca at Camp Nou. Past experiences advise caution. Psychology observes the case with respect and some anticipation. "Faith helps, but in the long run, if problems persist, it may not be enough," says a professional. Therefore, all the hands that Araujo can hold will be welcome to achieve fortitude of spirit, the strength of the soul.