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AFP ROMAN OBSERVER
Pope Francis recalled his memories with Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona during a rare interview dedicated to the sport with the Italian newspaper “La Gazzetta dello Sport.”
And the Pope remembers well the appearance of his compatriot Maradona in the 1986 World Cup final, when Argentina beat West Germany, while studying at the University of Frankfurt at the time.
“I met Maradona during a peace party in 2014 and I remember with pleasure everything he did to help those most in need in the world,” the Pope told the Italian newspaper.
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He added: “In the field, he was a poet, a great hero who made millions of people happy in Argentina and Naples, and he was also a fragile man.”
He continued: “I have a personal memory related to the 1986 World Cup, the tournament that Argentina won thanks to Maradona. I was in Frankfurt to present my thesis and I didn’t see the final match. I found out the result the next day when a Japanese girl wrote in German on the board, Viva Argentina “.
He continued: “I remember it personally, it was like a victory over the unit, because I had no one with whom to share the joy of this sporting victory.”
Regarding the death of Maradona, the Pope said: “I prayed for him and sent a rosary to the family with a few words of condolences.”
During his speech, Pope Francis referred to his love for soccer and for playing it in his hometown on the streets of Buenos Aires as a child.
Source: Reuters + gazzetta.it
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