He papa Francisco It was a fan. With all the letters of the word and the greatest of its senses. Born in The Flores neighborhood of the City of Buenos Aires and, As a good Argentine, always lived under the faith of soccer. He grew up accompanying his father to the stadium of San Lorenzo de Almagrothe team of another district of which he was devout. During the years this relationship with the king sport was intense and never hid his passion, despite having defined himself as a “hard leg” that did not play well. Therefore, His death Sense also makes sense on the grass.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio – that was his secular name – he grew up like any child: with the ball attached to his feet. He played in the streets of his BUENOS AIRES and every weekend of the game he visited Viejo Gasometer with his father, to see the matches of his San Lorenzo. I dreamed with the incredible plays of Rinaldo Martino, René Pontoni and Armando Farroa striker who repeated throughout his life, like the rest of the 'Cyclone' team of 1946. That team, champion in Argentina and remembered for a legendary tour of Spain and Portugal, conquered it.
Pope Francis smiles upon receiving a shirt from his favorite football team, San Lorenzo Argentino, in 2019. / EFE
Now that football is orphaned by the most football pope in history. One that signed and received lots of equipment and selections infinities t -shirts, which he received offerings of the Maradona and Messi very. And all those objects can be seen in the Vatican Museum, in a section in which the gifts that during these years of papacy were shown: Trophies, badges, photographs and signed t -shirts. It is also part of the exhibition The San Lorenzo partner card with the number 88235.
San Lorenzo, in fact, announced a few months ago that his new stadium – located in the field of the old gasometer – will bear the name of Pope Francis, although he himself admitted that the idea was not very attractive.
But beyond its identification with the Barca team, for Pope Francis, football was a social tool. A lever for change. “Sport is a means to express one's talents, but also to build society. Sport, in fact, teaches us the value of fraternity (…) In the field, no matter the origin, language or culture of a person. What matters is the common commitment and objective. This unit in sport is a powerful metaphor of our lives. Reminds us that, Despite our differences, we are all members of the same human family “he said at the beginning of last year at the reception of the Vatican Athletic Sports Association.
Messi and Pope Francis, in August 2013. / EFE
Pope Francis, valued by his will to generate an evolution in society, did not live oblivious to public debates. On more than one occasion he was asked about his preference between the two great football stars, Maradona and Messi. Despite being Argentine, Pope Francis surprised everyone with a verdict that left no one indifferent. “I would add a third, Pelé. They are the three that I have followed. Maradona was a great, but as a man he failed. Messi is very correct, a man. But for me, of these three, the best is Pelé“He said in an interview at the Italian RAI, pointing to him who was the best footballer in history for him.
