Pope Francis and Lionel Messi with signed shirts (Twitter)
Lionel Messi was presented with the Athletica Vaticana yellow jersey by fellow Argentine football fanatic Pope Francis.
- AFP
- Last Update:24 Jan 2022, 16:09 IST
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Football superstar Lionel Messi has received a shirt signed by Argentine staunch footballer Pope Francis, the Vatican’s sports federation said on Monday.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Messi, who returned to action after a bout of Covid on Sunday, gave the pontiff a signed piece of kit through French Prime Minister Jean Casteux in October.
In an unusual shirt swap, the yellow jersey of Athletica Vaticana – the small state’s multi-sport team – was given to Messi by then French bishop Emmanuel Gobilliard.
“A person of faith, Messi told me how important this step was to him. We pray together,” Gobilliard, who will be the Holy See’s representative at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, said on Twitter.
Athletica Vaticana said on Facebook that the signature in black pen by the 85-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was a “blessing” for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Francis – a huge fan of the Buenos Aires team San Lorenzo – met Messi for the first time in 2013, shortly after being elected Pope.
The pontiff shared memories of playing football with makeshift balls as a child on the streets last year, which he said is enough to bring joy to him and his childhood friends.
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