Pope Francis's Love For Football: A Journey Through The Beautiful Game
His predecessor loved Mozart, but Pope Francis's passion was football, for him 'the most beautiful game' and also a vehicle to educate and spread peace.
From Argentine compatriots Lionel Messi and the late Diego Maradona to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Buffon, Francis received the greatest stars of football at the Vatican, signing dozens of shirts and balls from around the world.
Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel .His love of football was inseparable from his loyalty to the San Lorenzo club in Buenos Aires, where he went to watch matches with his father and brothers.
'It was romantic football,' he recalled.
He maintained his membership even after becoming pope and caused a minor uproar when he received a membership card from rivals Boca Juniors as part of a Vatican educational partnership.