20.08.2014 12:11 h

Pope salutes Cup winning club

Officials and players from San Lorenzo, the Argentine club who lifted the Libertadores Cup last week, on Wednesday presented the trophy to their most famous fan: Pope Francis.

The pontiff, a boyhood supporter of the Buenos Aires club that was founded by a priest, spent several minutes holding the giant trophy before being presented with several red and blue club shirts by the players present.

San Lorenzo claimed the Libertadores for the first time in its 106-year history with a 2-1 aggregate win over Paraguay's Nacional Asuncion.

The Pope had hailed his club's triumph during his flight back from South Korea earlier in the week, joking: "I am very happy about it, but, no, it is not a miracle."

He added: "For me, San Lorenzo was the team all my family supported. My father played in the basketball team and when we were kids, we sometimes went to the stadium with mum."