Francis kept up to date with the club's progress thanks to one of the Vatican's Swiss Guards, who would leave results and league tables on his desk. Football is often compared to a religion for ...

His predecessor loved Mozart, but Pope Francis's passion was football, for him "the most beautiful game" and also a vehicle to educate and spread peace. From Argentine compatriots Lionel Messi and the ...

VATICAN CITY, Holy See — His predecessor loved Mozart, but Pope Francis's passion was football, for him "the most beautiful game" and also a vehicle to educate and spread peace. From Argentine ...

From Argentine compatriots Lionel Messi and the late Diego Maradona to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Buffon, Francis received the greatest stars of football at the Vatican, signing dozens of ...