Pope Consoles Sad Brazil Soccer Fans

Spotting flags in St. Peter's Square, he tells them 'Have courage! There'll be a next time'
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 8, 2018 7:38 AM CDT
Pope Consoles Sad Brazil Soccer Fans
Pope Francis blesses the crowd as he recites the Angelus noon prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St.Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 8, 2018.   (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis is trying to cheer up Brazilian soccer fans after the team's quarterfinal exit from the World Cup, reports the AP. The pope, an Argentine and an avid soccer fan, noted a preponderance of Brazilian flags on display in St. Peter's Square during his traditional Sunday blessing. He told the crowd: "I see a lot of Brazilian flags: Have courage! There'll be a next time."

The five-time world champions left the World Cup empty handed after losing to Belgium in the quarterfinals, leaving only European teams contending for the title in Russia. Francis often meets with visiting national soccer teams, has a collection of gifted jerseys and frequently promotes the value of sports particularly for young people. His own Argentina team was eliminated from World Cup contention in the first of the knockout rounds. (It wasn't meant to be for the host country, either.)

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