The way into any Philadelphian’s heart is through the city’s sports teams, and it seems like FIFA knows that.
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Leading up to the World Cup, soccer’s governing body employed some of Philadelphia’s star athletes to welcome the nine nations competing at Lincoln Financial Field, which has been renamed Philadelphia Stadium throughout the event. Through the “Philly Match Ball” program, FIFA recruited several of the city’s biggest sports names to sign World Cup balls: Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper and shortstop Trea Turner; Eagles linebacker Zack Baun and wide receiver DeVonta Smith; Flyers goalie Dan Vladař and captain Sean Couturier; and Sixers center Joel Embiid.
The balls will be presented as gifts to the squads playing group stage matches in Philly: Brazil, France, Croatia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Haiti, Curaçao, and Iraq. The first game in the city is between Ivory Coast and Ecuador on Sunday, June 14 (7 p.m., FOX).
Two of FIFA’s chosen Philly signees have previously shown their love of soccer.
In 2024, Harper gave his seal of approval to Union phenom Cavan Sullivan, who was just 14 years old at the time. Before throwing out the first pitch at Citizens Bank Park ahead of a Phillies matchup with the Yankees, Sullivan met Harper in the team clubhouse.
“Your foot skills are incredible,” Harper told Sullivan. “You’re legit, dude.”
“Don’t forget about all of us when you go to Manchester City,” he added.
Harper, whose wife Kayla played collegiate soccer at BYU and Ohio State, showed off a bit of his soccer knowledge when the Phillies played in England two seasons ago, performing an iconic “football celly.” After hitting a home run in the Phillies’ 7-2 win against the Mets at London Stadium, Harper slid on his knees toward the Phillies dugout like he had just scored a goal.
In the dugout, he celebrated with teammates and repeated, “I love soccer, I love soccer!”
Bryce Harper HR “Goal” Celebration.
“I love soccer!!” pic.twitter.com/HcS9YgPvUC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 8, 2024
Joel Embiid may have Harper beat. The Sixers’ big man has shown off his soccer skills plenty of times throughout the years.
Embiid, a native of Cameroon, grew up playing the sport, and didn’t pick up basketball until he was 16. In 2024, he told Roger Bennett of the Men in Blazers podcast that he credits soccer for improving his footwork on the court.
“Hakeem [Olajuwon] was another one that started so late and made it into basketball, and he credits his football skills to be able to get better so fast,” Embiid told Bennett. “I think there’s a lot of similarities where — I’ve always been a type of guy to observe, and then you show me one thing, and I’m able to do it after one or two tries, and just pick stuff up so fast.”
On the same podcast, Embiid, an avid Real Madrid and Arsenal fan, expressed his excitement for the World Cup’s arrival in Philadelphia.
“I’m excited. I’m going to be all over the place,” he said. “I’ve never been to a World Cup game before, so I’m going to go to a lot of them, especially to follow some of the best teams. Hopefully Cameroon makes it. Right now it doesn’t look likely.”
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Sadly for the former MVP, he was right, Embiid’s home country did not qualify.