Pope believes football can promote values of ` ` honesty , solidarity and fraternity '' Sport should be used as a medium of communication for young people , he says . Vatican has supported lower league club Ancona 's adoption of ethical code . In October , he was presented with a No . 16 shirt by officials of the lower league club Ancona after the Vatican endorsed its campaign to turn itself into a `` beacon of morality '' by adopting an `` innovative , ethical model of practising football , '' Reuters reported . German - born pope is reputed to be a Bayern Munich fan .
Pope believes football can promote values of ` ` honesty , solidarity and fraternity '' Sport should be used as a medium of communication for young people , he says . Vatican has supported lower league club Ancona 's adoption of ethical code . German - born pope is reputed to be a Bayern Munich fan .