On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis, a global leader who never hid his deep affection for football, passed away at the age of 88. Born in Argentina, he personally witnessed the glorious moments when Argentina won the World Cup three times.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis’s birth name) was born on December 17, 1936. In 1978, when Argentina won its first World Cup, he was 41 years old. At that time, Argentina was under a military dictatorship, but Pope Francis did not publicly comment on the victory.
In 1986, when Argentina, led by Diego Armando Maradona, won its second World Cup, he was 48 years old. In an interview with Italy's 'La Gazzetta dello Sport,' he recalled his feelings at the time:
"I have a personal memory related to the 1986 World Cup, the one Argentina won thanks to Maradona. I was in Frankfurt, having a difficult time learning the language and gathering material for my thesis. I didn’t see the final, and I only learned the result the next day during German class when a Japanese student wrote ‘Viva Argentina’ on the blackboard."
"I remember that victory as a lonely one. There was no one to share the joy with. Solitude makes one feel lonely, and true joy is greater when it can be shared."
The third World Cup victory came during his papacy. In 2022, Lionel Messi and Argentina achieved glory in Qatar. However, he did not watch the final match live this time either.
In an interview with 'La Nación,' he explained:
"I met with five Alitalia pilots and their wives. They came to greet me, and we started talking around 4 PM. We talked about Argentine wine. I said, 'I have some, should I bring it to you?'"
"When I returned, they told me it was 3-2 or 3-1. Later, I found out we won on penalties. It made me think about the Argentine psyche."
He added:
"This may not have scientific basis, but I will say it anyway. We Argentinians like strong starts, but sometimes we lack consistency in finishing things. We were happy to win the first half and felt the game was already ours. But no. We have to fight until the last moment. And we had to fight hard, going to penalties against the Netherlands and France. We can benefit from a steady rhythm, without getting bored and without giving up..."
Pope Francis felt the passion and patriotism of the Argentine people through football, and he left behind deep reflections on the joy and solitude he felt during the World Cup victories, as well as on the Argentine psyche. His love for football went beyond that of a mere sports fan, showing him as a true leader who shared the joys and sorrows of his people.
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