First level football matches in Italy and Argentina postponed after the death of Pope Francis on Monday.
The Buenos Aires club that the Argentine Pontiff supported through his life was also mourning for his most famous fan.
Soccer and the widest sports world paid tribute after Francis died at age 88.
All sporting events scheduled for Easter Monday in Italy were postponed, including four series A Games: Torino vs. Udinese, Cagliari vs. Fiorentina, Genoa vs. Lazio and Parma vs. Juventus The games will now be played on Wednesday.
Similarly, three first level games in Argentina postponed from Monday to Tuesday: Tigre vs. Belgrano, Argentinos Juniors vs. Barracas Central and Independence Rivadavia vs. Aldosivi. The games will be preceded by a minute of silence to cry Francis, who was the archbishop of Buenos Aires before being chosen Pope.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he was “deeply sad” for the death of the Pope.
“I had the privilege of spending time with him on a couple of occasions, and always shared his enthusiasm for football and emphasized the important role of our sport in society,” said Infantino on Instagram. “All prayers around the world of football are with him.”
The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said that “we are losing a great friend and defender of the Olympic movement.” Bach added that Francis’s “support to the peace and solidarity mission of the Olympic Games and the many COI refugee initiatives have been unwavering. “
Pope and San Lorenzo
Francis’s passion for football was known almost immediately after being chosen as the first Pope in Latin America in 2013 when the Argentine club San Lorenzo tweeted a photo of him holding the team’s crest. He was just a club member, with the identification of San Lorenzo, No. 88,235.
San Lorenzo is nicknamed “Los Santos”.
“He was always one of us,” said San Lorenzo in Tribute on Instagram, remembering how Francis saw his 1946 championship team as a child.
San Lorenzo served long after Francis was chosen as the 266 Pope in March 2013. The team won a national title in 2013 and claimed the Copa Libertadores for the first time a year later. Club officials traveled twice to the Vatican with trophies to thank Francis for their support.
A new San Lorenzo stadium planned will be named by Francis.
In Italy, there were also suggestions that Francis supported Juventus since his family came from the Piedmont region, where Turin Club is located. Francis’s father, Mario Bergoglio, was a basketball player.
Pope and Maradona
Francis with compatriot Diego Maradona twice as a potato. There was a special audience in relation to a charity soccer fight in 2014 when Maradona presented to the Pontiff a football shirt, stamped with the name “Francisco”, Spanish for Francis, and Maradona’s number 10.
“We all now realize that it is a (star),” Maradona said after another meeting in 2015. “I am Francis.” “
When Maradona died in 2020, Francis recalled great football in his prayers.
“A different, accessible and Argentine pope,” said Lionel Messi, another great football from Argentina, on Instagram. “Thank you for making the world a better place. We will miss you.”
On 15 times European football champion, Real Madrid also cried Francis in an Instagram message.
Duration a meeting with the national teams of Argentina and Italy shortly after being chosen, Francis noticed the influence of athletes, especially in young people, and told the players to remember that “for better or worse” they were models to follow. “Dear players, you are very popular. People follow you, and not only in the field but also of it,” he said. “That is a social responsibility.”
Francis often praised sports as a way to promote solidarity and inclusion, especially for young people.
At a global conference on faith and sport in 2016, Francis implored leaders to do a better job to maintain corruption outside the field and said sports must be protected from manipulations and commercial abuse.
“Francis was a special Pope, capable of illuminating in his time as only the biggest can,” said Gianluigi Buffon, the former Italian captain who with the Pope many times, on Instagram. “He showed us the way with great courage and moved our souls. I will take his example forever in my heart.”
Associated Press reports.
Get more from the FIFA Men World Cup Follow your favorites to obtain information about games, news and more
