BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥� found himself in the midst of two of Spain’s greatest rivalries 鈥� over soccer and language 鈥� as he landed in Barcelona on Tuesday during his to the country.
Spaniards don鈥檛 argue that much about issues like abortion or guns, but they do debate tirelessly about language and their favorite sport, whose significance transcends fandom.
The U.S.-born pontiff had rubbed Barcelona鈥檚 soccer fans the wrong way by saying he roots for Real Madrid instead of their beloved Bar莽a. Barcelona鈥檚 residents had already been speculating that he might make minimal use of their native Catalan during instead of Spanish, which he speaks fluently.
The pope sought to disabuse them of the latter assumption soon after his arrival by speaking first in Catalan. The languages and teams have been longtime wedges between Spain鈥檚 two biggest cities.
The pope visited Real Madrid鈥檚 museum
鈥淭he pope is for all teams, but Prevost is for Real Madrid” were the words that sealed Leo’s sporting fate with many a Bar莽a fan when he responded to a question on the papal plane en route to Spain.
Real Madrid proudly posted the video of the moment, and social media filled with comments about how the club is 鈥渢he team of God.鈥�
Tom谩s Roncero, a popular sports commentator for the widely read Spanish sports daily AS, said in a video that 鈥渢he pope can鈥檛 be for Bar莽a, because it is a sinful club … in his heart he is of a pure and clean club like Madrid.”
The Real Madrid-Barcelona divide is one of the biggest rivalries in club football.
For many non-Madrid fans, especially those in Spain鈥檚 regions with different languages and strong local identities like Catalonia, Real Madrid is associated with strong central power. Many consider it almost a pillar of the state, along with the central government and the Catholic Church. Bar莽a, meanwhile, is closely aligned with Catalan nationalism, and was famously called “Catalonia’s unarmed army.”
The pope, who to Spain’s capital, aligned himself closely with Real Madrid during events in the city.
On Monday, thousands of Catholics packed the stadium of Real Madrid for a rally with the pope featuring dancers kicking soccer balls, while dressed in the white and yellow colors of the Holy See.
鈥淭oday the Church in Madrid has scored a great goal to always be remembered!鈥� Leo said at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, where he also met privately on the sidelines with Puerto Rican musical sensation Bad Bunny.
The pope even visited the club鈥檚 museum to peruse its packed trophy case with Real Madrid president Florentino P茅rez, who gave him a Madrid shirt with 鈥淩obert F. Prevost鈥� on the back.
Folks in Barcelona noticed.
鈥淎 figure as important as he is shouldn鈥檛 take sides. Now that he has said that he supports Real Madrid, well, I am sorry, he has messed it up,” said Eduard Modro帽o, an office worker and Barcelona fan. He noted that Leo and Madrid players, whose uniforms are pristine white, also dress similarly.
鈥淗e wears all white, doesn鈥檛 he? Enough said,鈥� said Modro帽o, as he spoke outside the basilica, where the pope on Wednesday will celebrate a Mass in the major event of his stop in Spain鈥檚 second city.
Pope begins his homily in Barcelona with Catalan
Leo began his homily at Barcelona鈥檚 cathedral with a few words in Catalan and switched between it and Spanish in his first public address in the city.
鈥淏eloved brothers and sisters, it is with great pleasure that I start my visit holding the midday prayer at this cathedral,鈥� he said in Catalan.
Later in his busy day, Leo again swapped between the two languages when he was enthusiastically received by 40,000 Catholics at a prayer vigil held at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium.
Nobody there gave any sign they cared more about soccer or language than the chance to see the pope. Crowds cheered wildly as he slowly toured the stadium in a popemobile. A troupe of while Leo smiled from the stage.
鈥淚鈥檓 very happy,鈥� said Javier Guibrot Alsina, who waved a flag and danced to the loud music accompanying the event. 鈥淗is coming gives us a lot of hope. It鈥檚 a treat. How lucky we are to have have him here.鈥�
The two-hour event finished with the pope silently contemplating for several minutes at Catalonia’s Black Madonna, a statue of the Virgen of Montserrat, the region’s patroness saint.
Language is tied to politics in Spain
Catalan, spoken by around 10 million people, exists side-by-side with Spanish in Catalonia. But the language question is often weaponized politically.
Catalan was suppressed by Spain鈥檚 20th-century dictatorship under Gen. Francisco Franco. Preserving the language was an important driver of separatist sentiment during a recent push for independence that reached its peak in a .
Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI used some Catalan when they visited Barcelona in 1982 and 2010, respectively. Spain鈥檚 king speaks Catalan when he’s in Catalonia, but it’s rare for Spanish politicians from non-Catalan speaking regions to do so.
The pope speaking a few words in Catalan may not be enough for many residents. But some were appreciative of the gesture.
鈥淪peaking the language of the land that welcomes you is a wonderful act of love and respect. I hope you enjoy your visit to Catalonia, my nation,鈥� M铆riam Noqueras鈥� political party, Junts, said she told the pontiff 鈥� in English 鈥� when they briefly spoke at Spain鈥檚 parliament on Monday.
The archbishop of Barcelona, Juan Jos茅 Omella, tried to downplay the issue.
鈥淭he pope knew beforehand that he is coming to a country (Catalonia) where people speak a very old language that has never been lost through the centuries,鈥� Omella told reporters. 鈥淗e knows this and has prepared his speeches and his homily, while keeping in mind that he can only do so much and doesn鈥檛 want to end up looking silly in a language he doesn鈥檛 speak.鈥�
For Modro帽o, the soccer fan, speaking in Catalan is more important than anything related to sports.
鈥淚t is a lack of respect not to speak entirely in Catalan,” he said.
____
AP writer Nicole Winfield and videojournalist Patricia Thomas contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
