Argentina's San Lorenzo announce new stadium will be named after Pope

Argentina's San Lorenzo announce new stadium will be named after Pope

Published Sep. 11, 2014 6:03 a.m. ET

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina --

Argentine club San Lorenzo will name its new stadium after its most famous fan: Pope Francis.

San Lorenzo announced the decision Wednesday on its official Twitter account. The new stadium will be built on land seized from the club during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship.

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Argentine-born Francis has long followed the Saints of San Lorenzo, one of the oldest teams in the Argentine Football Association. Some joke that the Pope has been intervening, and the club has been getting some help from above.

Since he became Pope in March 2013, San Lorenzo has won a local title as well as the South American Copa Libertadores club competition for the first time in its history. Club officials have traveled twice to The Vatican carrying the trophies to thank the Pope.

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