What the World Cup can teach us about university admissions

One of the most challenging aspects of university counselling is helping students to understand the reality of highly selective admissions.

Many students invest years of effort into achieving excellent grades, building strong extracurricular profiles and preparing competitive applications. As a result, they often assume that admission to institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton or Stanford is a given: a direct reward for hard work.

However, one of the key lessons I have learned throughout my counselling career is that selective admissions are not purely based on merit rankings. Admissions decisions are holistic, contextual and influenced by factors that students cannot always see or control. Helping students understand this reality is essential for both informed decision-making and student well-being.

To address this challenge, I use a technique that resonates particularly well with my Brazilian students: comparing highly selective university admissions to the process of selecting Brazil’s squad for the FIFA World Cup. 

World Cup 2026: selecting the squad

The activity begins with a simple question: “Who are the 26 best football players in Brazil?”

Students immediately realise that there is no universally acceptable answer. Different people prioritise different skills, positions, playing styles and team needs. I then ask another question: “Does every outstanding Brazilian football player get selected for the World Cup squad?”

The answer is obviously no.

This creates a natural transition into a discussion about university admissions. Just as Brazil has thousands of talented football players competing for a limited number of places, highly selective universities receive applications from far more qualified candidates than they can admit.

Excellence is not enough

This analogy helps students understand several important concepts.

First, excellence is necessary but not always sufficient. Many football players are talented enough to represent Brazil, but only a small number can be selected. Similarly, many applicants are academically capable of succeeding at highly selective universities, but limited places mean that difficult decisions have to be made.

Second, selection is not solely based on one metric. A football coach does not simply choose the players who score the most goals. The final squad must include goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards with complementary skills. In the same way, universities are building a diverse and balanced class, rather than creating a ranking of applicants from strongest to weakest.

Third, not being selected does not diminish an individual’s achievements. Every World Cup cycle generates debates about talented players who were left out of the squad. Their exclusion does not mean they are poor footballers. Likewise, a student who is denied admission to a highly selective university has not failed. Often, they remain an exceptional candidate who would thrive at any outstanding institution.

Shift in perspective

I have used this analogy with numerous students, particularly those who become overly focused on a small group of highly prestigious universities. One student I worked with had excellent academic results and became convinced that admission to an Ivy League institution would validate years of hard work. When admission decisions arrived, the student received several rejections and was understandably disappointed.

During our follow-up conversation, we revisited the World Cup analogy. The student immediately understood the comparison and began to view the admissions outcome differently. Instead of interpreting the rejection as evidence of inadequacy, the student recognised that admissions decisions are often influenced by factors beyond individual achievement. This shift in perspective helped reduce his anxiety and allowed the student to appreciate the excellent university that had offered him a place.

Beyond the football pitch

I believe this technique can be adapted by counsellors in many different contexts, not necessarily involving football. Counsellors can use any nationally recognised selection process that students understand intuitively, such as national sports teams, elite artistic programmes, or competitive academic teams.

For counsellors interested in implementing this activity, I would suggest three practical steps. First, choose an example that is culturally relevant to and familiar for your students. Second, encourage discussion rather than simply presenting the analogy. The activity is most effective when students reach the conclusions themselves. Third, connect the discussion directly to concepts such as holistic admissions, resilience and well-being.

The World Cup squad analogy has become one of my most effective counselling tools, because it transforms a complex admissions concept into something students immediately understand. More importantly, it helps them recognise that their value is not defined by a single admissions decision, but by the broader qualities and potential that they bring to their future studies and careers.