Pope Leo XIV Appreciates Teamwork and Sportsmanship of SSC Napoli Footballers

Vatican City, May 27, 2025: Pope Leo XIV met with members of SSC Napoli at the Vatican on Tuesday morning to congratulate the football club on their recent Italian league title win, marking the team’s fourth-ever championship. The meeting followed Napoli’s victory parade on May 26, which saw around 200,000 fans celebrate the achievement in Naples. During the encounter, the Pope delivered a speech in which he emphasised the importance of teamwork and the moral values inherent in sports.

Before reading his address, however, the Pope joked with the players, suggesting that they hadn’t wanted to applaud for him because the press had reported that he was a Roma fan.

Pope Leo then read his speech, beginning by congratulating the team for their victory, which he called “a great celebration for all of Naples”.

In his address, Pope Leo XIV noted that while past victories often focused on individual players’ performances, today’s success belongs to the entire team, including players, coaching staff, and the club as a whole. He praised Napoli’s example of uniting individual talents to serve the collective goal.

The Pope also discussed the educational role of sport, warning that when sports become commercialised, they risk losing their positive moral impact, especially for young athletes. He urged parents and coaches to safeguard the moral quality of the sporting experience to promote healthy human development.

Concluding his remarks, Pope Leo extended his blessings to the team members and their families and passed on congratulations from Rosa, one of his cooks originally from Naples, who is a devoted Napoli fan. 

The meeting underlined the Vatican’s recognition of sport as a platform for fostering teamwork, values, and community pride.

By Joseph Tulloch

Courtesy: Vatican News