MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pope Francis lashes out at football hooligans and certain Argentine politicians

“These are idiotic actions from a person whose passion spills out, and it is also arrogance and a lack of social skills, an incapability to live in society”.

Pope Francis has spoken out against the problem of violence in football, criticizing the role of hooligan groups within the game while admitting that he felt “used” by certain politicians in Argentina.

 “It was a shame. These are idiotic actions from a person whose passion spills out, and it is also arrogance and a lack of social skills, an incapability to live in society. It is awful that things like the barra brava exist in our society,” the pontiff lamented during an interview with La Voz del Pueblo, referring to recent events in the super-derby between Boca Juniors and River Plate, Argentina's two national teams with the largest number of followers.

“The majority are mercenaries. I lived through the time of amateur football, in the '46 season I was nine and I always went in the stands, never the seats. The worst thing that was said was that the referee was bent, an idiot... not this colorful cascade of insults like now. The atmosphere has changed and it is a shame.”

Recalling the times he used to go to games, San Lorenzo fanatic Francis affirmed that “we used to go as a family, my mother even went. After the game we went out and bought snails in sauce, some pizzas and we went home. It was a big family party.”

The head of the Catholic Church continued by speaking out against Argentine politicians, who he believes “used” him and his position, while assuring that poverty, corruption and human trafficking were “the worst evils in the world.”