From conferences with Diego Maradona to the ardour for his beloved Buenos Aires membership, San Lorenzo, Pope Francis was an avid soccer fan. And a promoter of sports in normal.
Francis died Monday at 88 and the soccer and sports world instantly paid homage.
Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona, left, greets Pope Francis in the Paul VI corridor at the Vatican, in 2014.
| Photo Credit:
AP
All sports occasions scheduled for Monday in Italy had been postponed to mourn Francis, together with 4 top-flight soccer matches. A minute of silence might be noticed earlier than all sports occasions later in the week, the Italian Olympic Committee added.
“Italian soccer joins in the mourning of millions of people following the death of Pope Francis. He was a great example of Christian caring and dignity in the face of suffering and he was always attentive to the sports world and particularly soccer, of which he was a fan,” stated Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina. “He will always remain in the hearts of the faithful and lovers of soccer.”
Francis’ ardour for soccer grew to become recognized virtually instantly after he was elected Pope in 2013 when San Lorenzo tweeted a picture of him holding up the membership’s crest. He was even a card-carrying member of the membership, with San Lorenzo ID No. 88,235.
Pope Francis (L) receives a soccer jersey from coach Edgardo Bauza (R) of Argentine soccer group San Lorenzo throughout a Wednesday normal viewers at the Paul VI corridor at the Vatican in 2014.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
San Lorenzo is nicknamed “the Saints.”
In Italy, there have been additionally solutions that Francis supported Juventus since his household got here from the Piedmont area the place the Turin membership relies. Francis’ father, Mario Bergoglio, was a basketball participant.
San Lorenzo, one of the oldest groups in the Argentine Football Association, carried out effectively after Francis was elected as the 266th Pope in March 2013. The group received a nationwide title in 2013 after which claimed the South American Copa Libertadores for the first time a 12 months later. Club officers traveled twice to the Vatican carrying trophies to thank Francis for his assist.
A deliberate new San Lorenzo stadium is to be named for Francis.
Francis met his fellow Argentine Maradona twice as Pope. There was a particular viewers in reference to a charity soccer match in 2014 when Maradona offered the pontiff with a soccer jersey, emblazoned with the identify “Francisco” — Spanish for Francis — and Maradona’s No. 10.
Handout picture launched by San Lorenzo soccer membership press service of Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s membership membership ID card. Bergoglio was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, to interchange the frail Benedict XVI as chief of the world’s 1.2 billon Catholics. Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025 introduced The Vatican
| Photo Credit:
AFP
“I think we all now realize he’s a (star),” Maradona stated after one other assembly in 2015. “I’m Francis’ top fan.”
When Maradona died in 2020, Francis remembered the soccer nice in his prayers.
Record 15-time European soccer champion Real Madrid additionally mourned Francis in a message on Instagram:
“Real Madrid would like to express its condolences to the entire Catholic community on the loss of a historic and universal figure,” Real Madrid stated in a assertion. “During his pontificate, characterised by the scale of his immense legacy, Pope Francis has represented an enormous spirit of solidarity and support for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.”
During a assembly with the Argentina and Italy nationwide groups shortly after he was elected, Francis famous the affect of athletes, particularly on youth, and instructed the gamers to do not forget that, “for better or worse” they’re position fashions. “Dear players, you are very popular. People follow you, and not just on the field but also off it,” he stated. “That’s a social responsibility.”
Francis usually hailed sports as a approach to promote solidarity and inclusion, particularly for younger individuals.
During a world convention on religion and sport in 2016, Francis implored leaders to do a higher job of protecting corruption off the enjoying area and stated sports should be protected against manipulations and business abuse.
“Francis was a special Pope, able to illuminate in his time like only the greatest can,” Gianluigi Buffon, the former captain of Italy’s nationwide soccer group who met the Pope on a number of events, stated on Instagram. “He showed us the way with great courage and moved our souls. I will carry his example forever in my heart.”
Published – April 21, 2025 06:59 pm IST
