The personal message Pope Francis sent Brendan Rodgers, “didn’t transcend,” to Celtic supporters

Pope Francis’ private message to Brendan Rodgers that ‘didn’t transcend’ to Celtic fans Brendan Rodgers famously quipped that Pope

Francis’ remark to his Celtic team that ‘winning or losing doesn’t matter’ wouldn’t go down well in Glasgow. The 88-year-old – who died on Monday – served as the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State for almost 12

years until his death. During his role as the spokesman for the Church, he had organise an audience with the Scottish giants at the Vatican after their 2-0 Champions League loss to Lazio in December 2023. Describing it as the fulfilment of a long-time desire, Rodgers presented the pontiff with a bespoke Celtic kit autographed by the playing squad. The ex-Liverpool boss said of the experience:

“When Michael Nicholson mentioned it a few weeks before to coming, it was something that we were all looking forward to. It’s an achievement in life, it was fantastic to be there – extremely humbling.. I was quite honoured and it was a privilege.” It was during the meeting that the Pope informed his guests that winning or losing “doesn’t matter,” which led to Rodgers joking that the message may not be recognised well in Scotland’s biggest city.

“I’m not sure that transcends to Glasgow,” Rodgers jibed before adding: “But no, the spirit of what he was saying was absolutely genuine. It’s what you say to players, have that spirit. “Consider yourself as No. 2 so that you are continually pushing, then as No. 1. The lesson, in terms of playing as an amateur, is to play with spirit and joy of the game.His speech was really excellent.

Not only football, but also life finds resonance in the words. You can only learn from it; those of us who were present now know the meaning of what he was saying.” Francis’s complicated lung infection had kept him in the ICU for weeks before his death; his respiratory crisis developed into double pneumonia. He left the hospital and made two public appearances; his last one on Easter Sunday,

one day before his death, blessed thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City. Francis made history as the first pope from the Society of Jesus and the first from South America when following Benedict XVI in 2013. Gregory III, the Syrian pope ruling in the eighth century, was the first Pontiff to hail from the Southern Hemisphere and the first born or raised outside Europe.