After Jannik Sinner, Napoli. It now seemed known that Pope Leo XIV had Romanist sympathies, he seemed to have confirmed him himself with a “strength Rome” in shaking a hand from the window of the car, at the first public exit, other rumors had emerged in the stories of friends and confreres in the hours immediately following the election to the Soglio. But this morning, Pope Leone meeting players and managers of Napoli in the Clementina room, he made his debut, Sibillino, between the serious and the facetious: «The press says that I am a Romanist. But welcome: the press says that, not everything you read in the press is true ». It is known that the Pope is a true, practicing, competent and passionate sportsman.
«Congratulations on the championship victory! A big party for the city of Naples! », The Pope broke the ice by welcoming the team and fresh staff of Scudetto and celebration in the city in private hearing,” just on this I would like to make a reflection with you. Winning the championship is a goal that can be reached at the end of a long journey, where what matters most is not the exploit of the past, or the extraordinary performance of a sample. The team wins the championship, and when I say “team” I mean both the players and the coach with all the team and the sports club. Therefore, I am happy to welcome you now, to highlight this aspect of your success, which I consider the most important. And I would say that it is also from a social point of view. We know how popular football is in Italy and in the world. And then, even in this respect, it seems to me that the social value of an event like this, which exceeds the merely technical-sports fact, is the example of a team-in a broad sense-that works together, in which the talents of the individuals are put at the service of the whole ».
To then add, first invoke the blessing on staff and families: «E c‘It is a last thing that is close to me to say taking advantage of this occasion. It is the educational aspect. Unfortunately, when sport becomes business, it risks losing the values that make it educational, and can even become dis-educational. On this we must supervise, especially when dealing with teenagers. I appeal to parents and sports managers: We must be well attentive to the moral quality of sports experience at a competitive level, because there is the human growth of young people. I think we understood ourselves and that there is no need for many words. Thank you for your visit. Still congratulations and congratulations also by a lady, who in these days is having to eat for me, the Rosa lady who is from Naples, very fan, who sends you happy birthday and who would like to be here ».
For its part, the city of Naples had immediately paid homage to the new Pope in its own way: dedicating a pizza and immediately putting it among the new statuettes of the crib, to which in the last few hours the players of Napoli with the shield shirt have added, anticipating among the windows of the artisans of San Gregorio Armeno the meeting that took place this morning in the Vatican.
