Pope Francis welcomed Argentine football star Carlos Tevez to the Vatican this past week to discuss poverty in Buenos Aires.
Both men hail from Argentina’s capital and part of their discussions
during a private audience focused, according to reports, on the
under-privileged Fuerte Apache area of the city, where Tevez, 29, was
raised.
Tevez brought his family with him to the Vatican on Tuesday and
presented the Pope with a Juventus shirt, the Italian club he currently
plays for.
Francis’s love of football is well documented. He is a committed
supporter and fully paid up member of Buenos Aires club side San Lorenzo
and he has recently been presented with Sunderland and Chievo shirts.
In August, the Pontiff welcomed football stars including Lionel Messi,
Gianluigi Buffon and Mario Balotelli to the Vatican.
After his meeting withe the Pope, Tevez, who previously played for
Manchester United and Manchester City, wrote on Twitter: “Thank you Holy
Father for welcoming my family. I’m proud that you’re Argentine, and
above all that you’re so humble.”