Pope Leo XIV's recent visit to Spain has been marked by both a heartfelt plea for unity and an awkward revelation that has stirred controversy among football fans. The pontiff, who is on a week-long tour of the country, began the Barcelona leg of his journey by addressing the faithful in Catalan at the city's cathedral on Tuesday. He urged them to 'build harmony and communion beyond all polarisation,' a commendable call for peace and understanding.
A Confession That Sparked Debate
However, this appeal may have come too late for some. Three days earlier, during a conversation with journalists on his flight to Spain, Pope Leo made a confession that has since dominated headlines. When asked whether he supports Real Madrid or their Catalan rivals FC Barcelona, he carefully separated his role as pope from his personal preferences. 'That's easy: the pope is for all teams, but Robert Prevost is for Real Madrid!' he said, referring to his birth name.
Real Madrid quickly seized on this endorsement, posting on social media: 'The pope is a Real Madrid fan!' The situation was further exacerbated for Barcelona supporters when the pope visited Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium on Monday. During his visit, he inspected the club's trophies and accepted a personalized shirt from club president Florentino Pérez, with 'Robert F Prevost' printed on the back.
An Unexpected Meeting with Bad Bunny
In a less contentious development, it was revealed on Tuesday that Pope Leo also met Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny at the Bernabéu. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni confirmed the encounter, stating that Bad Bunny was with his family and the pope greeted them briefly before leaving the stadium. Earlier, the pope had joked that many young Catholics might face a dilemma: 'When confronted with the question "Do I go see Bad Bunny or do I go to see the pope?" I think many will go to see Bad Bunny.'
Football and Politics Intertwined
The pope's football allegiances have not gone unnoticed, especially in Catalonia, where Real Madrid is often viewed as a symbol of central authority. Tomás Roncero, a sports commentator for the Spanish daily AS, remarked in a video: 'The pope can't be for Barça because it is a sinful club … in his heart he is of a pure and clean club like Madrid.'
Barcelona fans, however, were less amused. Eduard Modroño, an office worker and devoted Barça supporter, told the Associated Press: 'A figure as important as he is shouldn't take sides.' Speaking outside the Sagrada Familia basilica, where the pope will inaugurate a towering Jesus Christ statue on Wednesday evening, Modroño added with a hint of sarcasm: 'He wears all white, doesn't he? Enough said.'
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
