Real Madrid honors Pope León XIV as honorary member

On 11 June 2024 the board of Real Madrid, chaired by club president Florentino Pérez, approved the appointment of Pope León XIV as an honorary member of the football club. The decision follows the pontiff’s visit to the Santiago Bernabéu on 8 June, where he met around 70 000 fans, clergy and students – the first papal mass at the stadium since Pope John Paul II in 1982. During the visit Pérez presented the Pope with a personalized jersey bearing the name Robert F. Prevost and the number 1, as well as a replica of the arena, while the Pope gave Pérez a medal. Real Madrid said the occasion will be remembered as one of the most emotional moments in the club’s history and highlighted the Pope’s message of peace, solidarity and justice.