This reflective piece seeks to shed light on the numerous contributions of Diane Larsen-Freeman to theory construction, applied linguistics, and language education by drawing parallels and insights from the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup Final. Looking at the multitude of factors that affect both soccer games and language development research, teaching, and learning, the article explores some of her key publications, chosen for their invitation to us to consider expansive holistic changes that both our research and our language education enterprise badly need. My aim has been to capture some prominent aspects of Diane's unique gifts as a researcher, mentor, thinker, and educator, revealing her lifelong dedication to all these areas and to various fields of language study.