VATICAN CITY – The tricolor reaches the Vatican walls. The Napoli team, fresh from winning the championship, was received this morning by Pope Leo XIV in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. A historic day for the Neapolitan club, which combined sport, faith and social commitment in an event with a strong symbolic value.
Leading the Italian delegation was President Aurelio De Laurentiis , who presented the Holy Father with a personalized number 10 jersey bearing the name "Pope Leo XIV" and signed by all the players. It was a touching gesture, which provided the backdrop to a meeting where sport also spoke the language of solidarity.
De Laurentiis took advantage of the audience to present to the Pope an initiative with international scope: a project shared with the Dicastery for Culture and Education to support the education of children in the world's poorest countries. This issue, as the club's patron explained, is an absolute priority. "Hundreds of millions of children lack access to education. It's a silent tragedy that must be addressed with determination," he declared, expressing his hope for a lasting collaboration with the Holy See.
The Holy Father warmly welcomed the team, emphasizing in his speech that winning a championship is never the result of individual talent, but of the team's collaborative effort: "The championship is won by the team, not by one-off exploits," he said, praising Napoli and wishing all those present and their families well.
It's great to see Napoli receiving the blessing of Pope Leo XIV, but I believe that educating children is more important than winning a championship. Let's hope this project really helps those in need and brings hope.