Has the Pope ever played professional football?

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we are researching the pope for our philosophy degrees and somebody informed us that pope john paul II once had a flourishing professional football career before becoming the pope. please could someone tell us if there is any truth in this story?

-- elena medin& ann-marie tierney (elemed@softhome.net), September 29, 2004

Answers

Response to has the pope ever played professional football?

"Football" is european for soccer, He was a goalie on his city's team I believe. Look at the book Wittness to Hope by George Weigel.

-- joe@joe.com (joe @joe.com), September 29, 2004.

Response to has the pope ever played professional football?

He was a gifted quarterback. He was very skilled at the Hail Mary pass. ;-)

Actually, I think joe is correct. He played soccer, but not professionally.

-- Brian Crane (brian.crane@cranemills.com), September 29, 2004.


Response to has the pope ever played professional football?

I don't think there was such a thing as professional sport in Poland when he was young. He was an active skier until just before becoming Pope, and he continued hiking in his early years as Pope.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), September 29, 2004.

Response to has the pope ever played professional football?

JPII was a lumberjack, too.

-- 7878 (7878@yahoo.com), September 30, 2004.

he played with maradonna, but the pope actually had the hand of god. (sent by a 11 year old)

-- joseph (jw.davies@ntlworld.com), November 02, 2004.


The Pope played rugby for the Polish national team. It is a sport that requires/teaches teamwork, quick decision skills and requires a tremendous amount of courage.

-- Mike K (mkachik@blazenet.net), February 11, 2005.

Mike, Do you have a reliable source for that statement? I think it’s an urban myth put out by rugby types.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), February 12, 2005.

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