Rome Newsroom, Jan 20, 2021 / 01:00 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis met on Wednesday with players of the northern Italian soccer club Spezia after they eliminated the fourth-seeded A.S. Roma from the country’s annual cup competition.

“First of all, congratulations, because yesterday you were good. Congratulations!” the pope told them at an audience in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Jan. 20.