ROME (AFP) - More than three decades after it first put out a men's team, women are finally strapping on the Vatican's colours of yellow jersey and socks and white shorts and bearing the keys of St Peter and papal tiara crest.
For 35 years, the world's smallest state has put out a men's team that for one match in 2010 was coached by European Cup winner Giovanni Trapattoni, while eight teams have competed in its men's championship for nearly half a century, with players coming from the iconic Swiss Guards, Museums and the economic services.
"We thought the time was right to try to organise something, training and matches, also for women," Danilo Zennaro, a representative of the Vatican sports association, told AFP.
And for a few months now, a group of about 20 women - including Vatican employees, wives and workers from the Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital administered by the Holy See - meet once or twice a week to train on the grounds of the Pius XI sports centre in the shadow of the Dome of St Peter.
The training kits are mismatched, the level of play variable with a lot of toe-poking going on, but serious effort is being made ahead of a match with Serie A side Roma and then a tournament in Vienna later this month, with the session continuing until late into the night.
"We are a very heterogeneous group, there are young people aged about 25 and 50-year-olds," said 35-year-old Vatican employee Maura Turoli, who has little footballing experience but now plays as a defender.
"It's wonderful to be on the pitch and see husbands and children waiting for us and supporting us on the other side of the fence."
Although Pope Francis, an Argentinian, recently spoke of football as "the most beautiful game", the three words "football", "women" and "Vatican" are not necessarily ones people would put together in the same sentence.
However, Turoli says that they "will try to disprove this idea and show that we have our place".
Teammate Floriana Di Iorio, who was already part of the women's team at the Bambino Gesu hospital, says this team "goes beyond sport" and wants to "spread a message of great openness".
"The main objective is to convey a message of union, to be consistent, to keep our enthusiasm and perhaps also to be examples in places where the role of woman is still seen as a little marginal."
A "spirit of union" is also what team coach, Gianfranco Guadagnoli, who works in the Vatican Post Office, wants to achieve.
"We've just started this group, the first training session was one of pain, problems ... But they are doing better than expected," said Guadagnoli, who also coaches the men's team.
"We've never played an 11-a-side and on a big pitch, but Roma have come forward and ... we will try, even if our means are not those of a Serie A team.
"It does not matter, we go with our qualities and whatever happens happens, without problems or dramas."
The match proceeded as expected, with a game understandably reduced to two 20-minute halves ending in a double-figures defeat and a baptism of fire for a trailblazing team.
Crystal Palace put three goals past defending champions Manchester City, including a stunning volley by Andros Townsend, to win 3-2 on Sunday (NZ time) in the biggest upset of the English Premier
Arsenal 2-3 Crystal Palace: Gunners suffer SHOCK defeat to
Paul Smyth was Northern Ireland's hero after coming off the bench to mark his international debut with the winning goal against World Cup-bound South Korea in Belfast on Saturday. There were just
At Least Eight Reasons Why the Talk of North Korea Leveling
Singapore Football News - Following the resignation of Football Association of Singapore (FAS) general secretary Winston Lee, the search is on for a successor who can haul Singapore football out
Ex-PAP MP & ex-FAS chairman Zainudin Nordin among 4 arrested
Barca display solid defence. Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic beating Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defender Sergio Ramos to score the winning goal on Saturday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE.
Luis Enrique hails solid defensive display against Real Sociedad
Where Next for José Mourinho as Real Madrid Have an Itch to Scratch? London - John Duerden, Paul Wilson, Adam White, Andy Brassell, Artur Petrosyan and Sid Lowe "Sports"
Where next for José Mourinho as Real Madrid have an itch to
Iker Casillas responds after Porto heart attack scare. Casillas out of the woods. Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has taken to social media after he suffered a heart attack at Porto's training facility. The Spanish goalkeeper is considered to be one of the best goalkeepers of the last decade or so.
Iker Casillas to retire from football after heart attack scare
Leighton Baines is "confident" Everton have the team and players to produce an upturn in form - and certain "big character" David Unsworth can help the Toffees banish memories of their slow start to the campaign.
Congratulations Messages for Sports Achievement
complacency definition: 1. a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder: 2. a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder: .
Driving - No Room for Complacency!
Football: Solskjaer praises buccaneering Man United players after stylish win Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrates after the match with Jesse Lingard. PHOTO: REUTERS
Solskjaer Praises Buccaneering Man United Players After
Despite being regarded as possibly one of the contenders in the 2019 Singapore Premier League, Hougang United were handily beaten by Tampines Rovers 5-1. Things were especially difficult for the
LIVE: AIA Singapore Premier League - Tampines Rovers vs
Mar 30, 2019 · Burnley boost survival hopes on landmark day for Sean Dyche with vital victory over Wolves Save called up the 19-year-old winger to train with his full squad before the win over the Czech
Burnley boost Premier League survival hopes with win over
A recently uncovered piece of sophisticated malware targeting Linux provides attackers with remote control of the infected systems, Intezer's security researchers have discovered. Called HiddenWasp, the threat is active and enjoys zero-detection rate in all major anti-virus systems, the
The Kemba Walker Free-Agency Paradox | Bleacher Report
LIVERPOOL, England (REUTERS) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp concedes he faces a selection dilemma as centre back Dejan Lovren is unlikely to feature against Bayern Munich in Tuesday's (Feb 19
Liverpool's Lovren unlikely to face Bayern, says Klopp
José Mourinho Where next for José Mourinho as Real Madrid have an itch to scratch? China has the money but not the prestige while Bayern Munich are another option José Mourinho may sound out Real Madrid fans display a giant banner thanking Jose Mourinho during his last La Liga match in charge, in 2013.
Where next for José Mourinho as Real Madrid have an itch to
Tsukasa Shiotani's sizzling winner kept Japan on top of their Asian Cup group on Thursday, while Oman scrambled into the knockouts in a pulsating finish to the tournament's first stage. In Abu Dhabi, Almoez Ali took his tally to seven goals in just three games as Qatar beat political rivals Saudi
2019 Asian Cup: Tsukasa Shiotani fires Japan past Uzbeks
0 comments:
Post a Comment