BARCELONA, Spain (RNS) — With the FIFA World Cup starting Thursday (June 11), Pope Leo XIV said soccer is an opportunity to come together, during a meeting with charity workers at the Church of Sant Agustí in Barcelona on Wednesday.
“Soccer reminds us of something we must not forget: Life is not a race to show off on our own, but a path we learn to walk together,” the pope said, answering a question on whether he liked soccer.
“Anyone who does not know how to pass the ball, even if they have talent, has not yet understood the game, and anyone who does not know how to live with and for others has not yet understood life,” he added.
While Leo is known for being a tennis fan, he said he appreciates soccer, adding that he supported local teams during his years as a bishop in Peru. “Sports are important because they help us grow healthy in body and mind,” he said.
In an off-the-cuff remark, he said that in the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, he played with seminarians in defense position because he wasn’t “a great goleador (goal scorer).”
He added that he used to play American football when he was younger, “even though it was a bit more violent.”
As pope, Leo has had a chance …