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Religion and the Rise of Sport in England, by Hugh McLeod

February 01, 2023

Religion and the Rise of Sport in England Hugh McLeod Oxford University Press, £30, 304 pages A visitor from 200 years ago, landing in England in late autumn 2022, might be forgiven for thinking that Christianity had given way to a new cult centred on large screens in public houses with a 90-min-ute long service

Messi: World Cup win a ‘gift from God’

December 19, 2022

Soccer hero Lionel Messi yesterday declared the World Cup victory of Argentina over France as a gift from God. He told journalists in Qatar after the final in the Lusail stadium – which has been hailed the greatest ever – that the triumph of his team was a moment he had “craved” as he reached

The English team, he says, is the “enemy of truth, beauty, and goodness”

July 13, 2021

Yes, someone said that -- not a complete crank, either -- in an article for a third-tier conserative American publication that was essentially a rant, says David Mills, who took up his pen mainly because the author of the screed annoyed him. "The article's a rant by an ideologically marginal writer, writing in a marginal publication," but the author of the piece "does represent a large section of American conservatism, who think as he does."

The patron saint of footballers … is an Italian

July 11, 2021

Ten years ago, reporting that the Vatican had named St Luigi Scrosoppi as the patron saint of footballers, the Catholic Herald's editors noted that "The Vatican has stressed that his care is extended to all players; one trusts, therefore, that his favours would be neutrally bestowed in a tight World Cup final between England and Italy."

Catholic Manchester United striker considers legal action over voodoo claims

January 10, 2018

Romelu Lukaku was angered by claims he left Everton because he practiced voodoo

Another Catholic manager has won the Premier League. Here’s why we shouldn’t be surprised

May 21, 2017

Antonio Conte, manager of Chelsea, is on the record about the strength of his faith, telling newspapers about his prayer life and about meeting the Pope

Football, like life, requires thinking of others, Pope tells Villarreal team

February 24, 2017

Pope Francis met Villarreal ahead of their cup match in Rome

Pope Francis asks faithful to pray for victims of Colombia plane crash

November 30, 2016

The Pontiff referenced the tragedy, that claimed the lives of 71 people, during his latest general audience