What Football And The World Cup Can Teach Us About Mental Health
This post feels especially timely as we are in World Cup season! Sitting here in Bergen, Norway, I have found myself becoming increasingly invested in the games Norway is playing. I even caught myself buying a Norwegian football shirt to show my support — something I never expected from myself as someone who was not born ethnically Norwegian.
It made me curious: what is it about football and the World Cup that can make us feel connected to something bigger than ourselves? How can a game bring together millions of people, create a sense of belonging, and make us feel like we are part of a shared experience?
Beyond the excitement, competition, and entertainment, there may be something deeper happening. The World Cup creates opportunities for connection, shared emotions, community, and a sense of identity — all of which are important parts of human well-being.
So, what can football teach us about mental health?
When we talk about mental health, we often focus on reducing symptoms such as stress, anxiety, or low mood. But mental health is not only about managing what is difficult. It is also about creating a life where we experience connection, meaning, curiosity, and moments of feeling fully alive.
A recent study explored the relationship between physical activity involvement, sports engagement, and psychological well-being. The researchers found that people who engaged in physical activities — either by participating themselves or by being involved as spectators — reported higher levels of flourishing. Flourishing refers to a sense of positive functioning, meaning, purpose, and overall well-being.
Interestingly, the study found that the connection between physical activity and flourishing was partly explained by the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs: autonomy (feeling a sense of choice), competence (feeling capable and effective), and relatedness (feeling connected to others).
But why is this relevant in therapy?
We Are More Than Our Thoughts
When we experience emotional difficulties, it is common to focus mainly on our thoughts. While our thoughts and interpretations influence how we feel, Gestalt therapy understands human beings as a whole — where thoughts, emotions, bodily experiences, relationships, and our environment are constantly interconnected.
Have you ever noticed how your body responds when you are stressed? Perhaps you experience tension in your shoulders, a heavy feeling in your chest, a restless energy, or a sense of disconnect from yourself.
Our bodies are constantly giving us information. By becoming more aware of our bodily experiences, we can begin to understand our needs, emotions, and boundaries with greater clarity.
In Gestalt therapy, awareness is an important part of the therapeutic process. Rather than only asking “Why do I feel this way?”, we can also explore questions such as:
What am I noticing right now?
Where do I feel this in my body?
What happens when I stay curious about this experience?
Connection Is Essential for Our Well-Being
One of the important findings from the study was the role of psychological needs, particularly the need for connection. Being involved in activities is not only about the activity itself — it is also about the relationships and sense of belonging that can develop through shared experiences.
Watching a football match with friends, joining a sports group, walking with someone, or participating in a community activity can create opportunities to feel connected.
This connects strongly with Gestalt therapy, where contact is a central concept. We develop and understand ourselves through our relationships with others. Feeling seen, heard, and connected is an important part of human well-being.
Movement and Awareness
Many people describe feeling calmer and more grounded when spending time in nature. Being outdoors can invite us to slow down, engage our senses, and become more present.
A walk can become more than physical movement. It can become an opportunity to notice what is happening within us — our thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and relationship with the world around us.
This is one of the ideas behind walk-and-talk therapy. By combining conversation, movement, and nature, therapy can take place in a setting that encourages reflection, awareness, and a different kind of connection.
Mental Health Is Not Only About Fixing What Is Difficult
Therapy can be an important support during challenging periods of life, such as stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or major transitions. At the same time, mental health is also about discovering what brings us energy, meaning, and connection.
Questions we can explore include:
What makes you feel alive?
Where do you experience belonging?
What activities help you feel connected to yourself and others?
When do you feel most like yourself?
Gestalt therapy is not only about understanding our struggles. It is also about becoming more aware of our whole experience — our thoughts, feelings, body, relationships, and surroundings.
Sometimes the path toward greater balance begins with a conversation. Sometimes it begins with movement, time in nature, creativity, community, or simply slowing down enough to notice what is happening within us.
Perhaps good mental health is not only about having fewer difficult moments, but also about creating more moments where we feel present, connected, and engaged in our own lives.
References
Perls, F., Hefferline, R., & Goodman, P. (1951). Gestalt therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality. Julian Press.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.
Zhou, H., Hui, B. P. H., Yang, H. M., & Wu, A. M. S. (2024). Can watching the World Cup make you mentally healthier? Positive associations between involvement in physical activities and flourishing were mediated by psychological need satisfaction. BMC Psychology, 12, Article 366. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01861-z