International

Argentina Mourns Pope Francis with Football Tribute, Stadium Naming

Published

3 weeks ago

Apr 23, 2025.

Nationwide Tribute: The Argentine Football Association postponed all matches and ordered a minute’s silence in honour of Pope Francis, a lifelong football fan.
San Lorenzo’s Tribute: His beloved club, San Lorenzo, will hold a memorial mass and players will wear a special commemorative jersey during their next match.
Stadium Named After Him: A new 55,000-seat stadium planned by San Lorenzo will be named in honour of Pope Francis, fulfilling a wish he approved before his passing.

Argentina is planning several special tributes to honour the late Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.

These include a commemorative football jersey and naming a stadium after him. Known for his love of football, Pope Francis was remembered fondly by many in his home country.

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The Argentine Football Association (AFA) described him as a team player who always put others first. “Francisco. What a player,” the AFA wrote, saying he showed the world how powerful it is to have an Argentine leader with courage.

All football matches in Argentina were postponed on Monday in his honour, and a minute’s silence will be held at every match for the rest of the week.

Pope Francis was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo football club in Buenos Aires. The club opened its chapel until 9 p.m. each day this week so fans can pay their respects. A memorial mass is scheduled for Wednesday, and players will wear a special jersey in his honour on Saturday during their game against Rosario Central.

A photo of Pope Francis’s San Lorenzo membership card from 2008 has gone viral. People noted the interesting coincidence of his age (88), time of death (2:35 in Argentina), and his membership number: 88235.

Lionel Messi also paid tribute, thanking the pope for “making the world a better place.” The San Lorenzo club referred to him as an important part of their community, calling him “always one of us.”

The steps of the Buenos Aires Cathedral, where he was once archbishop, and the church in his old neighbourhood of Flores were decorated with football jerseys, scarves, and banners in his memory.

San Lorenzo’s president, Marcelo Moretti, announced that their future 55,000-seat stadium will be named after Pope Francis. Moretti said he visited the pope last year and asked for permission to name the stadium after him. Pope Francis agreed and was deeply touched.

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