But Leo, John insisted, always rooted for the White Sox. The pope was born Robert Prevost in 1955 and raised in Dolton, Ill., just south of the Chicago city limits. Following on avid soccer fan Pope Francis, the athletic world appears to have received another sports-loving pope.

Abde Ezzalzouli emerged as Real Betis’ hero on Thursday after he netted an extra-time winner to make them the first Spanish side to reach the Conference League final with a 4-3 aggregate victory over Fiorentina, setting up a showdown with Premier League side Chelsea.

A lot has changed since the last time a new pope was elected. But with the Catholic Church ushering in Chicago native Robert Francis Prevost, curiosity surround