Sports world mourns soccer-loving Pope Francis with games in Italy postponed
Four top-flight soccer matches in Italy were postponed after the death of Pope Francis on Monday and the Buenos Aires club that the Argentine pontiff supported throughout his life mourned its most famous fan.
The wider soccer and sports world also paid homage after Francis passed away at 88.
All sports events scheduled for Easter Monday in Italy were postponed, including four Serie A games: Torino-Udinese; Cagliari-Fiorentina; Genoa-Lazio; and Parma-Juventus. The four games will now be played on Wednesday, the Italian league announced.
A minute of silence will be observed before all sports events later in the week, the Italian Olympic Committee added.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he was 鈥渄eeply saddened鈥� over the pope鈥檚 death.
鈥淚 was privileged enough to spend some time with him on a couple of occasions, and he always shared his enthusiasm for football and stressed the important role our sport plays in society,鈥� . 鈥淎ll the prayers of the whole football world are with him.鈥�
Tennis great Rafael Nadal expressed his 鈥渟incere condolences鈥� for Francis in in Spanish.
Francis鈥� passion for soccer became known almost immediately after he was elected pope in 2013 when the Argentine club . He was even a card-carrying member of the club, with San Lorenzo ID No. 88,235.
San Lorenzo is nicknamed 鈥渢he Saints.鈥�
鈥淗e was always one of us,鈥� , remembering how Francis watched its 1946 championship team as a young boy.
San Lorenzo performed well after Francis was elected as the 266th pope in March 2013. The team won a national title in 2013 and then claimed the South American Copa Libertadores for the first time a year later. Club officials traveled twice to the Vatican carrying trophies to thank Francis for his support.
A planned new .
In Italy, there were also suggestions that Francis supported Juventus since his family came from the Piedmont region where the Turin club is based. Francis鈥� father, Mario Bergoglio, was a basketball player.
Francis met his fellow Argentine Diego Maradona twice as pope. There was a special audience in connection with a charity soccer match in 2014 when Maradona presented the pontiff with a soccer jersey, emblazoned with the name 鈥淔rancisco鈥� 鈥� Spanish for Francis 鈥� and Maradona鈥檚 No. 10.
鈥淚 think we all now realize he鈥檚 a (star),鈥� Maradona said after another meeting in 2015. 鈥淚鈥檓 Francis鈥� top fan.鈥�
When Maradona died in 2020, Francis remembered the soccer great in his prayers.
Record 15-time European soccer champion :
鈥淩eal Madrid would like to express its condolences to the entire Catholic community on the loss of a historic and universal figure,鈥� Real Madrid said in a statement. 鈥淒uring 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.鈥�
During a meeting with the Argentina and Italy national teams shortly after he was elected, Francis noted the influence of athletes, especially on youth, and told the players to remember that, 鈥渇or better or worse鈥� they are role models. 鈥淒ear players, you are very popular. People follow you, and not just on the field but also off it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a social responsibility.鈥�
Francis often hailed sports as a way to promote solidarity and inclusion, especially for young people.
During a global conference on faith and sport in 2016, Francis implored leaders to do a better job of keeping corruption off the playing field and said sports must be protected from manipulations and commercial abuse.
鈥淔rancis was a special pope, able to illuminate in his time like only the greatest can,鈥� Gianluigi Buffon, the former captain of Italy鈥檚 national soccer team who met the pope on multiple occasions, . 鈥淗e showed us the way with great courage and moved our souls. I will carry his example forever in my heart.鈥�
