Holy smoke! Vatican football team to challenge Inter Milan? By Nicholas Rigillo


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Monday December 18, 2006

By Nicholas Rigillo, Vatican City- A Vatican football team could one day challenge the likes of Roma and Inter Milan for the Serie A title, and - why not? - Barcelona or Liverpool for the Champions League. The idea of equipping the world's smallest sovereign state with a competitive football club is the brainchild of one of its most influential officials: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

Recently appointed as the Holy See's new Secretary of State, the highest Vatican posting after the pope, Bertone is an enthusiastic football fan.

Speaking on Sunday, Bertone said: "I do not rule out that the Vatican could in the future set up a competitive football team that could play on the same level as the likes of Roma, Inter, Genoa and Sampdoria."

Italian football federation (FIGC) officials, as well as their colleagues at Europe's governing body, UEFA, are not taking the matter lightly and are ready to welcome the white-and-yellow jerseys with open arms.

"We would not have a problem admitting a team from the Vatican, all they would have to do is apply," a FIGC spokesperson told Deutsche Presse Agentur dpa on Monday.

It would probably take years before the Vatican could ever challenge Italy's greatest, however.

Officials at the FIGC noted that while they already have a team from the tiny enclave of San Marino playing in their third division, the Vatican team would have to start from its lowest amateur league and work its way up the ranks.

As far as UEFA membership is concerned, things could prove a little more tricky.

"The Vatican is a sovereign state that is recognised by the United Nations, so we would have no problem accepting it as one of our members, as long as certain conditions are fulfilled," William Gaillard, UEFA's director of communications and public affairs, told

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency