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Pope blesses UEFA officials before Euro 2020

Published:Friday | June 11, 2021 | 12:11 AM
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Turkey players warm up during a training session of the national football team at the Olympic Stadium in Rome yesterday, ahead of their match against hosts Italy today.
AP
Turkey players warm up during a training session of the national football team at the Olympic Stadium in Rome yesterday, ahead of their match against hosts Italy today.
Pope Francis.
AP
Pope Francis.
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VATICAN CITY (AP):

Pope Francis met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and other football officials yesterday to offer his blessings before the European Championship kicks off in Rome.

Euro 2020, which was postponed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, starts today with Italy playing Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Argentine-born Francis is an avid football fan and a noted supporter of Buenos Aires team San Lorenzo.

Italian football federation President Gabriele Gravina also took part in the meeting inside the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.