Romain Rouillard
modified to
8:24 p.m., March 22, 2023
The Variétés club de France, an association bringing together several personalities from the world of football to support various charities, is traveling to Rome to face a team made up of 18 priests and seminarians from the Vatican. The training coached by Jean-Michel Larqué was then received by Pope Francis.
Passing through the eternal city, the Variétés club de France took the opportunity to meet the sovereign pontiff this Wednesday. The association, which brings together several personalities from the world of football for charitable purposes, is traveling to Rome until Thursday to face a team of priests and seminarians from the Vatican. The formation, led by Jean-Michel Larqué, former star of AS Saint-Étienne in the 1970s, was received by Pope Francis in the morning after attending a mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Unique moment ✨
THE @VarietesCF received by Pope Francis @Pontifex_fr in the Vatican! pic.twitter.com/WeNDWD6Bdo— Varieties CF (@VarietesCF) March 22, 2023
The head of the Catholic Church was presented with a VCF jersey by its president, Karl Olive. He then exchanged a few words with Jacques Vendroux, general manager of the team and also a journalist for Europe 1 before receiving various gifts from Jean-Michel Larqué or Wilfrid Mbappé, father of the new captain of the Blues Kylian Mbappé. Later in the day, the members of the VCF therefore headed to the Olympic Stadium in Rome to put on their crampons.
Dream morning in the Vatican thanks to the @VarietesCF@JacquesVendroux And @EGobilliard : Morning mass at St Pierre and audience of @Pontifex_en ! Official photo and little confidence, François was a goalkeeper! @Europe1@Europe1Sport1@KARLOLIVE@dominicgrimault@Geraud_nimopic.twitter.com/EVBX8b3V8C
— Cyrille de La Morinerie (@Morinerie) March 22, 2023
Beautiful people on the lawn
In the starting 11 included two 1998 world champions with Robert Pirès and Christian Karembeu. The former Roma player, Olivier Dacourt, or Claude Puel, ex-trainer of Lyon, Saint-Étienne and Lille also walked the lawn. Without forgetting Arsène Wenger, manager of the Arsenal club in England for 22 years.
✨ The starting 11 of the VCF
V.Magniez – K.Olive – C.Karembeu – A.Wenger – V.Candela – E.Gobilliard – O.Dacourt – W.Mbappe – C.Puel – R.Pires – PY.André pic.twitter.com/vBW0BCKmyy— Varieties CF (@VarietesCF) March 22, 2023
Created in 1971, the association has played 2,440 matches during which more than 5 million euros have been donated to various associations. Meetings take place every Saturday afternoon. The latest, disputed in Porcheville in the Yvelines, raised 1,600 euros for “Le rêve de Colyne”, an association intended to help a young girl with multiple disabilities. The next match will take place on Sunday March 26 at Marcoussis in Essonne, for the benefit of “Soccer School”. In October 2021, President Emmanuel Macron himself donned the sky blue jersey of the Variétés club de France in front of a team of caregivers. The funds had been donated to the Hospitals Foundation.