La Liga Clubs Hold Minute’s Silence in Respect for Pope Francis

Real Madrid players held a minute’s silence before training as the football community came together to pay respects to Pope Francis.

A picture shared by the club on its official X handle showed the squad and coaching staff standing in a circle at the training ground for the moment of silence.

“Real Madrid wishes to express its condolences to the whole Catholic community in the face of the loss of a historic and universal figure,” the club said in a statement.

“During his papacy, marked by the scale of his great legacy, Pope Francis represented an enormous spirit of solidarity and support for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.”

Other top-flight clubs, including Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, joined La Liga in expressing condolences for Pope Francis.

The Pope, a passionate football fan, was known for his love of San Lorenzo, a Buenos Aires club. He saw football as a means to educate and spread peace, and received football legends like Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

AFP