Pope Francis’ comment on Messi, Maradona and Pelé
On the occasion of All Saints’ Day, Pope Francis celebrated and led a mass for the dead at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Rome. Speaking to RAI Italia radio, a local media outlet, after the ceremony, the Pope gave an interview in a context different from his office.
The current Pope of the Catholic Church, due to his place of birth, faced a question that every Argentine citizen considers obligatory in the history of football in his country: “Messi or Maradona?”
“I add a third: Pelé,” the bishop responded, although he was born in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Maradona and Pelé
‘POOR MAN’ FOR MARADONA
However, the Pope stated that the “three people” he followed were these footballers, but one of them “failed as a human being,” referring to Diego Armando Maradona:
“Maradona was a great player. The poor man slipped with those who praised him and with those who harmed him. He came to see me here and then the poor thing met his end.”
“MESSI IS A GENTLEMAN”
However, Leo, one of Maradona’s greatest rivals in Argentine history, had good words for Messi: “Messi is very true, he is a gentleman. But for me, Pelé is the best among these three.”
Lionel Messi.
The Pope is sure that the Brazilian footballer is the best and affirmed that he is a ‘man of heart’: “I spoke with Pelé. “I met him once on a plane to Buenos Aires, a man of great humanity, but all three of them are wonderful.”