One Extraordinary Photo: Congo players and staff gather in prayer after a win

ATLANTA — Mike Stewart is a chief photographer in the Southern USA for The Associated Press. He is a 2021 Pulitzer Prize winner and is based in Atlanta. Stewart covers sports, news and enterprise stories for the AP.

Why this photo?

I thought a photograph of players on a World Cup team gathering with staff praying in the middle of the field was significant. That happened Saturday after Congo's victory against Uzbekistan. In my almost four decades of photojournalism, it was one of the most unique things I have seen in any professional sport.

How I made this photo

Standing in the tribune or overhead position, shooting the jubilation of Congo's victory, I kept searching for more. When I saw the team after the celebration was over come together for a prayer, I made the photo with a 400 mm lens on a Sony A9 iii.

Why it works

The photo works because it’s unique. It’s something that people don’t see every day. For hundreds of millions of people, the power of prayer is powerful.