Pope Francis said this in Krakow, Poland, during lunch while on a trip for the World Youth Day gathering, according to sport-english.com.
He was joined by 12 youths and one of them asked him, “Who is better, Maradona or Pele?” and the pope responded, “For me, Messi,” without giving further explanation.
A response that the participants at the lunch enjoyed – and none of them were Argentine.
Reports say nearly three million pilgrims made it to the mass he was celebrating on the final day of a five-day to Poland, as the 1,050th anniversary of Poland’s adoption of Christianity was celebrated.
