Give us a sign: Pope Francis is a big fan of Argentina’s San Lorenzo (Picture: AFP)

The new Pope, Francis I, has been outed as a big football fan.

The Argentinian, who was given the papal nod in Rome yesterday, is a fully paid up member of San Lorenzo, one of Argentina’s top sides.

A bit of heavenly intervention will come as good news for the South American outfit who have won just one of their opening five games this season and currently languish mid-table in Primera A.

Apparently, Pope Francis, who is the first Pope from the Americas and first from outside Europe in more than a millennium, has a home near the San Lorenzo headquarters and regularly makes the short journey to the club’s games by bus, a route he may now have to ditch or at least leave the big hat at home.




The 76-year-old received his club membership after saying a mass at a sports complex near the club’s stadium.

Season ticket: The new Pope is a huge fan of San Lorenzo

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Oscar Lucchini, an architect and fellow Saints fan, who presented Francis I with his club card, said: ‘He says he lives in a permanent state of suffering for San Lorenzo.’

There has been little for the pontiff to cheer about of late concerning his favourite club, who earlier this year were linked with a move for Newcastle’s Fabricio Coloccini.

The Saints have been a little out of sorts in recent seasons and last won the Argentina national championship back in 2007, which is a heavy cross to bear.

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