Sports World Mourns the Loss of Football-Loving Pope Francis

The sports world is paying tribute to Pope Francis, a devoted football fan, following his passing on Monday at the age of 88. Top-flight football matches in Italy and Argentina were postponed as a mark of respect.

In Italy, all sports events scheduled for Easter Monday were postponed, including four Serie A games: Torino vs. Udinese, Cagliari vs. Fiorentina, Genoa vs. Lazio, and Parma vs. Juventus. These matches will now take place on Wednesday.

Similarly, three top-flight games in Argentina were rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday: Tigre vs. Belgrano, Argentinos Juniors vs. Barracas Central, and Independiente Rivadavia vs. Aldosivi.

The postponed games will be preceded by a minute of silence to mourn the Pope’s passing. Francis, who served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires before his papacy, was known for his love of football.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed his condolences, saying, “I 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. All the prayers of the whole football world are with him.”

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach also paid tribute, stating, “We are losing a great friend and supporter of the Olympic movement. His support for the peace and solidarity mission of the Olympic Games and the many refugee initiatives of the IOC has been unwavering.”

Pope Francis’ passion for football was well-known, particularly his support for Argentine club San Lorenzo. He was a card-carrying member of the club, with ID No. 88,235. San Lorenzo, nicknamed “the Saints,” remembered him fondly on Instagram, saying, “He was always one of us.”

The club recalled how Francis watched their 1946 championship team as a boy and how the team performed well after his election as Pope, winning a national title in 2013 and claiming the Copa Libertadores in 2014. Club officials even traveled to the Vatican twice to thank Francis for his support.

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