Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which Italian soccer club he supports during audience with Napoli
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When Leo entered the Clementine Hall inside the Apostolic Palace where Napoli's players and staff were seated, there was a slight delay before the guests applauded.
'Maybe they didn't want to applaud because in the media they say I'm a Romanista,' Leo said, referring to Roma fans. 'That's what the press says. Not everything that you read in the press is true.'
Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, was from Argentina and was a card-carrying supporter of Buenos Aires soccer club San Lorenzo.
Napoli clinched its fourth Serie A title following a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Friday with goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.
Napoli president and film producer Aurelio Del Laurentiis presented Leo with a Napoli No. 10 shirt — the same number worn by the late Diego Maradona when he played for the southern Italian team — with the pope's name on it and featuring signatures from all of the club's players.
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