Pope Francis is crying all over the world after his death at the age of 88, football paying his own tribute to Argentinian.
Only a few minutes after the confirmation of his death on Monday morning, the Italian series confirmed that they had postponed all their scheduled matches on Monday as a mark of respect for the pope.
It is an appropriate tribute to a man who loved “the beautiful game”.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Pope was a supporter of his local team, San Lorenzo, and he was delighted to receive a club shirt in 2013.
While riding power, he also had the chance to meet some of the football heroes in his country.
They are not much bigger than the great Diego Maradona, and the couple met at the Vatican in 2014, six years before the death of the emblematic footballer at the age of 60.
Pope Francis met his compatriot and the Legend of Football Diego Maradona in September 2014
The pope also exchanged gifts with Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon in 2013 when they visited the Vatican
Messi appreciated the visit and would continue to follow in the footsteps of Maradona by winning the World Cup for the pope’s delight
The pope was a fan of San Lorenzo for life after having grown up in Buenos Aires and received a club shirt in 2013
The pope met the legendary manager Pep Guardiola in 2014 when he was in charge of Bayern Munich
The pope held a private audience with Guardiola and his team, and was clearly delighted to meet them
He was even given a ball from the signed Champions League that he was seen in the process of joyfully
He obtained a signed Bayern shirt presented to him by Philipp Lahm and Manuel Neuer
He also met the German players – including Thomas Muller (left) – two years after their triumph of the 2014 World Cup
German staff also visited the Vatican, including manager Joachim Low (second on the right) and technical director Oliver Bierhoff
The pope remembered Maradona in his prayers after his death, and described him as “football poet” after his incredible career which saw him led Argentina to the glory of the World Cup in 1986.
If someone can match Maradona’s achievements on a football field, it was his compatriot Lionel Messi who also had the chance to share the company of the Pope.
In addition to the legend of goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon, Messi and the Pope exchanged gifts in 2013, and Messi would lead Argentina to the final of the World Cup the following year. Eight years after that, Messi passed his nation over the line while Argentina raised the World Cup for the third time to Qatar in 2022.
During his 12 years at the Vatican, the Pope was more than happy to welcome some of the largest sports stars in his house.
He welcomed Pep Guardiola during a private audience with his Bayern Munich team in 2014, and the German players – including Thomas Muller – visited him in 2016, two years after winning the World Cup.
As he spent a considerable part of his life in Italy, it is not surprising that the Pope also had his shoulders with some of the largest footballers in the country.
He welcomed the former man striker City Mario Balotelli in the Vatican in 2013, and was happy to pose for photos with Buffon and Andrea Pirlo when the pair visited him a year later.
The pope spent a lot of time in Italy and met some of the country’s largest stars, including Mario Balotelli
He was happy to pose for photos with Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo, who won the World Cup together in 2006
Buffon, who was known for his safe hands, was ecstatic when he put a ball signed to the pope
The Pope received a personalized shirt from another Italian icon, Alessandro del Piero, in 2014
The pope also rubbed his shoulders with the Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho while he supported a charity event in 2022
He was on site to watch a children’s day event in Rome last year, shortly before he was bad
The Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers presented the pope with a club shirt signed when he visited him in 2023
The president of Napoli, Aurelio de Laurentiis, gave the Pope a shirt signed when he had the chance to meet him in 2023
The Pope saw the fun side of football and played a table football game in 2021
He guided the ship to the Vatican for 12 years and received a brassard from the captain when he attended the Clericus Cup in 2019
He also presented a ball in the match at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican
The pope also received a shirt which said “dad Francesco” by the icon of Juventus Alessandro del Piero.
The charity work was also close to the heart of the Pope, which led him to receive a special shirt with his name on the Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho before a match to collect funds in 2022.
The Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers then gave him a shirt signed by all the players in 2023, with the more than happy pope to take him while he kissed football until his dying day.
The president of Napoli, Aurelio de Laurentiis, presented him a club shirt the same year, but that did not change the loyalty of the Pope. It was always San Lorenzo who had his heart.
Football has lost a special fan, but the pope’s photos enjoying sport will live forever.
