VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, a keen football fan who was an amateur player in his youth in soccer-mad Argentina, on Thursday wished for a fraternal World Cup, hours before the premier championship kicks off in Brazil.

“I wish everyone a wonderful World Cup, played in a spirit of true fraternity,” the pontiff tweeted.

In a video message in Portuguese, transmitted by Brazilian television Rete globo, Francis also said he hoped the World Cup would mark “solidarity among peoples” who “recognise themselves as members of the unique human family.”

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2014