This Tuesday, March 22, it’s a strange procession that will start moving. At noon, a plane specially reserved for the occasion will take off with 100 guests on board from the Paris airport of Charles-de-Gaulle. Direction: Italy. The passengers ? Former glories of hexagonal football, united within the famous Variétés club de France, a charity association which regularly organizes gala matches. Their spouses will be present.
This trip will take them the next day they have the Vatican, St. Peter’s Square. At 10:15 a.m., after a public audience, a private meeting is scheduled with… Pope Francis. Three gifts were carefully wrapped before leaving: a Variétés jersey with the number 10 on it (a number dear to Maradona and Messi), a bottle of rum from Guadeloupe and another of whisky, the Argentinian’s indulgence, dated 1936 This is the year of birth of the Holy Father…
Karembeu and Mbappé’s father are in the game
Among the lucky ones, we find some world champions like Christian Karembeu, Robert Pirès and Vincent Candela, the footballers Sidney Govou and Steve Savidan, the former member of the coaching staff of the France team Henri Émile, the coaches Arsène Wenger and Claude Puel, the journalist Dominique Grimault, the figure of the Greens Jean-Michel Larqué or even Wilfrid Mbappé – the father of the PSG goleador. A current international should join the adventure. But who ? Mystery.
This football pilgrimage is organized by the new president of Variétés, the Renaissance deputy from Yvelines and close to Emmanuel Macron, Karl Olive. As well as by the historical general manager of the association, Jacques Vendroux.
After faith, the round ball. Coming out of the meeting with Pope Francis, the Variétés delegation will go to the Stadio dei Marmi to face a team representing the Holy See. Participants will put on crampons. The match will pit Variétés against a team of seminarians, priests or Swiss Guards, in yellow and white jerseys, the colors of the Vatican. The opponent is called the “Fratelli tutti”. Understand “all brothers”, the name of an encyclical from the pope. Jean-Michel Larqué will kick off. In 2009, during Variety’s first trip to the Vatican, the former pros beat the Swiss Guards 4-1.
How to provoke the good vibes again? The Variétés will begin its trip to the Vatican with a stop at Saint Peter’s Basilica, for a mass organized on Wednesday at 7 a.m. It will be celebrated by Emmanuel Gobilliard, bishop of Digne and member of Variétés.