Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago and the first pope from the United States, has long been known for his love of sports, particularly the Chicago White Sox baseball team. Recently, he was asked if he had any role in the team’s surprising return to the playoffs. During a flight to France, he avoided giving a direct answer, saying, "No comment," while smiling. However, he did express enthusiasm, stating, "Great things happen in Chicago." His careful response reflects past experiences where seeming to favor one sports team over another led to unintended complications. In June, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that "the pope is for all teams," but he drew attention when he admitted his personal support for Real Madrid, a club deeply involved in one of the most intense rivalries in football. Real Madrid released a video of the moment, which sparked online discussions suggesting the club was "the team of God." This statement added a layer of interest to the pope's public persona and his relationship with sports. During the same flight, Pope Leo XIV also shared his enthusiasm for college basketball, predicting that "the voice of the people of God" would be with Villanova University when his alma mater faces Notre Dame in a men’s and women’s season-opening doubleheader in Rome on November 1. He noted that "they tell me that the people coming to the match, 90% are Villanova and 10% Notre Dame, so the voice of the people of God will be very strong on the Villanova side." The Catholic institutions are promoting the event as a celebration of their shared mission and heritage. Before becoming pope, Pope Leo XIV, then known as Robert Prevost, graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from an Augustinian school near Philadelphia. Now 71, he has a passion for sports that includes tennis. In a 2023 interview with the Augustinian Order, he admitted that he considers himself "quite the amateur tennis player," though his church duties limit his time on the court. As pope, Pope Leo XIV regularly spends Mondays and Tuesdays at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, a hilltop town near Rome, playing tennis with his secretary, Monsignor Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga, along with swimming and horseback riding. During a Vatican audience last year with top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner, he declined Sinner's offer to hit a brief volley, stating, "Better not."