wrote St Luigi Scrosoppi, an Italian priest who dedicated his life to those living in 
poverty, especially children and young people, building orphanages, hospitals and 
schools in areas where cholera and smallpox epidemics were widespread. 
It is for this reason that he was 
declared the patron saint for orphans, 
abandoned children, those working in 
education, and AIDS sufferers. St Luigi 
Scrosoppi is also the patron saint of 
football. The saint attached enormous 
importance to the sport as a means 
to foster amongst the young personal 
qualities in perseverance, teamwork, 
dedication, and leadership, the same 
attributes which football coaches 
continue to encourage today. 
As worldwide attention turns this 
summer to North America and the 
World Cup, the 2026 edition of The 
Bridge is dedicated to the Beautiful 
Game, the universal sport which is 
played on street corners, in public 
parks, school playgrounds, and multi-
million pound stadia on every continent. 
And when we reflect on those strengths 
which St Luigi Scrosoppi sought to 
develop in the youngsters in his care, no 
football player has embodied more the 
personal attributes of perseverance and 
dedication than the Brazilian footballer 
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known 
across the world by his nickname, Pelé. 
Born into poverty in 1940 in Bauru in 
the state of São Paulo, Pelé’s acclaimed 
status continues to be celebrated to 
this day, both for his play on the pitch, 
and for the inspiration he gave young 
people when facing difficult challenges 
in their lives. ‘Success isn’t determined 
by how many times you win,’ he once 
said, ‘but by how you play the week 
after you lose.’
THE POOR & 
THE SICK ARE 
OUR OWNERS
This year’s edition of The Bridge is the 
culmination of effort from so many across the 
school, and The Bridge Editorial Team - David 
Daniel, Charlie Clayton, Matthew Fenwick, 
Rayyan Khan, Mohammed Zaman, Mikael 
Mahmood, and Kaiden Hitchens - is grateful 
to all those who have contributed articles and 
features, not only in celebration of football and 
the World Cup, but on many other subjects too. 
We also express our gratitude to Aston Villa 
Football Club for this year’s front cover photo. 
My thanks go especially to the Year 11 students 
who make up the Editorial Team. We have very 
much enjoyed working together on this year’s 
magazine and hope everyone enjoys reading it. 
Reflecting on his football career towards the 
end of his life, Pelé wrote that achieving your 
goal in life ‘is no accident. It is hard work, 
perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice 
and most of all, love of what you are doing or 
learning to do.’ Separated by a hundred years 
and thousands of miles, St Luigi Scrosoppi and 
Pelé would have found common ground in their 
concern for the marginalised and forgotten, and 
their love of football.
Mr Kevin Organ
© Gerald T. Coli
4

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