Pope Leo XIV, currently in Madrid during a visit to Spain, first time since 2011 that a Pope visited the country, was asked by a reporter, in the plane that took him to Madrid on Saturday, which team he preferred: Real Madrid or Barcelona?
"That's easy, the Pope is for all teams", he said, before admitting his preference: he is a Real Madrid fan.
<social>https://x.com/el_pais/status/2063211436600340580</social>
Leo XIV supports Real Madrid, Chicago Sox and Alianza de Lima
Robert Prevost, who has reportedly made 50 trips to Spain as a member of the Augustinians before being elected pontiff, is a known sports fan: back in May 2025, when he was elected, it was reported that he is a fan of the baseball team Chicago White Sox, a city known for its rivalry between the Sox and the Chicago Cubs. Prevost, who also has the Peruvian nationality, is reportedly also a fan of the football club Alianza de Lima.
Leo XIV will actually visit the Bernabéu stadium on Monday, as one of his many acts in Spain this week, before going to Barcelona and the Canary Islands. On Sunday morning, Leo XIV is hosting a mass in the centre of the city, with over a million people estimated following the act live in the street. He will also meet several personalities from the world of sports and culture in the basketball stadium Palacio de los Deportes on Sunday afternoon.