James O'Reilly
The professional soccer team Inter Milan FC were crowned champions of the Scudetto, the league trophy awarded to the winners of Italy’s Serie A championship.
With the celebrations in Milan still fresh in memory, the 'nerazzurri' squad—as they are known because of their team colors—met Pope Leo to celebrate their twenty-first league title with him.
In his role as a spiritual father, the pope reminded them that many young people look up to them as role models, which should encourage them to live virtuously.
POPE LEO XIV
Many of them, these days, look to you as their ‘heroes,’ as role models to imitate, and this places upon you a responsibility that goes beyond performance and calls on you, as athletes, to be witnesses to values.
After reflecting on the pope's words, well-known figures such as Lautaro, the championship’s top scorer, and Zanetti, now the club’s vice president ,who become a legend there as a player, presented the pope with a commemorative jersey from the meeting.
