Pope Francis' Message of Peace during the World Cup

During the first week of the World Cup in Qatar, Pope Francis took the opportunity to send a message of encouragement to fans in order to promote peace between nations. From the Vatican, during his traditional general audience, the Argentine Pontiff greeted fans from his country and around the world who are following the actions of their national teams, emphasizing that the event should provide a harmonious environment in the world amidst the suffering of the Ukrainian people.

"I would like to send my greetings to the athletes, fans, and spectators following the football #WorldCup taking place in Qatar. May this important event be an occasion for encounter, fostering fraternity and peace among peoples... Let us pray for peace in the world and for the end of all conflicts, with a particular thought for the terrible suffering of the beloved and martyred Ukrainian people."

I would like to send my greetings to the athletes, fans and spectators following the football #WorldCup taking place in Qatar. May this important event be an occasion for encounter, fostering fraternity and peace among peoples. #Qatar2022

November 23, 2022

Pope Francis' Passion for Soccer

It's well known that Pope Francis is a fan of San Lorenzo and that soccer is one of his passions. However, due to a promise he made in 1990, he cannot watch Argentina's national team matches. The truth is that he doesn't watch any television because on July 15th of that year, as he revealed in a past interview, he made a promise to the Virgen del Carmen. For this reason, he has mentioned that a Swiss Guard keeps him updated on the results and after the surprising defeat of the Albiceleste against Saudi Arabia, he received the news through some guests he had for the World Jewish Congress.