ROME (Armradio) — Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan presented a jersey with his signature to Pope Francis.
Mkhitaryan made the following note on the jersey: “Your Holiness Pope Francis, it is a great honor for me and my country Armenia to support your efforts to promote peace in my country and the whole world.”
“It was an honor for me to meet His Holiness Pope Francis, and to contribute, together with world renown players, to his global effort in promoting peace in the world,” Mkhitarysn said on social media after the meeting.
The meeting took place ahead of the ‘Match for Peace’ in Rome’s Olympic Stadium.
Ahead of the match, the Pope greeted the world-renowned soccer players, organizers and their families, in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.
The game, with the motto “We Play for Peace,” features the participation of many important figures in the world of football, and follows the first two matches, held on 1 September 2014 and 12 October 2016.
This year’s edition pays homage to football giant Diego Maradona, who participated in both of the previous Matches for Peace, leading the ‘Scholas squad.’ Maradona passed away in November 2020.
