The Argentine-born pontiff hasn't watched TV since July 15, 1990, after making a vow to the Virgin Mary, but he gets informed of the results of his favorite soccer team, Buenos Aires-based San Lorenzo, once a week, according to the newspaper.
On Sunday, December 18, Pope Francis will still root for the team of his native country "from a distance," and it is possible that after the match he will watch a selection of key moments on the Internet, la Repubblica said.
President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez said on Twitter that he will not travel to Qatar for the final match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
On Sunday, December 18, Argentina will play against France in the finals of the FIFA championship.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he would travel to Qatar on Sunday to attend the World Cup final.
On Wednesday, Macron watched the semifinal game, in which France defeated Morocco 2-0.
On Saturday, Croatia won the World Cup bronze medal, beating Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoff at the Khalifa Stadium in Qatar.