Mourning spreads across Argentina's stadiums

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has postponed all matches scheduled for Monday in mourning for the passing of Pope Francis, one of the country's most prominent football fans and a supporter of the famous Buenos Aires club San Lorenzo. "Argentine football bids you farewell with great sadness," the association said in an official statement, noting that a minute of silence will be observed before all matches this week in honor of the late pontiff. Pope Francis, the first pope from Latin America, died at the age of 88. Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, he was known for his deep passion for football, serving not only as a religious authority but also as a sporting icon who combined faith and football. The association stated in its statement that Francis "never hid his great love for San Lorenzo de Almagro," noting his touching encounters with Argentine football stars, most notably Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. In a humane touch, the statement recalled one of the Pope's memories, when he jokingly commented during his meeting with Maradona at the Vatican on the famous "Hand of God" goal in the 1986 World Cup: "I asked him, 'Which hand is guilty?'"