Signed shirt from Manchester United star, and joke exchange with fan, the Pope’s two Red Devils connections

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The late Pope Francis encountered two Manchester United-related moments during a 12-year reign as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

People across the world have been mourning the death of Pope Francis since Easter Monday mourning when it was confirmed by the Vatican that the first-ever Latin American pontiff had passed away at the age of 88.

The news led to many tributes in the football world, with the Italian government announcing that Saturday’s fixtures in Serie A will be suspended due to the Pope’s funeral. Three games, including Inter Milan vs Roma, have been rescheduled to take place on Sunday instead of Saturday.

Pope Francis’ funeral will be held in St. Peter’s Square and the ceremony will be attended by several world leaders.

Pope Francis received signed Manchester United shirt

There is a lot of diversity in the Manchester United dressing room, where multiple religions are practised and respected.

Some players are more religious than others but Lisandro Martinez showed his love for his faith when he sent Pope Francis a signed shirt.

In 2023, Pope Francis received a signed Manchester United shirt from Martinez during a Vatican visit.

While Martinez wasn’t in attendance for the visit, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was responsible for handing the gift over to the Pope.

“[Martinez’s] price in the Pope being from his own country was just obvious, and it was something of a moment to be able to hand over the gift in the heart of the Vatican,” Burnham told BBC.

Pope Francis jokes about Manchester United

It has been revealed that Pope Francis laughed at a football fan when she revealed she supported Manchester United.

That may not have been the reaction Professor Anna Rowlands was expecting from the Pope during her two-year secondment to the Vatican.

Speaking to the PA news agency about her interaction with the Pope, Professor Rowlands said (via Manchester Evening News): “He wanted to know what football team I supported, and I said that I was from Manchester.

“So I was a genuine, bona fide Mancunian, Manchester United fan by origin. He just sort of roared laughing and turned to his aide and said, ‘you see, she must have a sense of humour’.

“And that was the first extended conversation I’d ever had with him. So his nature was to tease you slightly and to be good-humoured, and find a point of human connection with you.”