Pope Leo XIV sparked laughter among journalists travelling with him to Spain after revealing his personal football preference during an informal conversation aboard the papal flight.

According to Vatican News, the light-hearted exchange took place on Friday as the pontiff interacted with more than 80 journalists accompanying him on the first leg of his apostolic journey to Spain.

During the discussion, a journalist asked whether he supported Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, two of Spain’s most successful football clubs.

Responding with a smile, the Pope distinguished between his role as leader of the Catholic Church and his personal preference.

“That’s easy: the Pope is for all teams, but Robert Prevost is for Real Madrid!”

The remark drew laughter from those on board and quickly became one of the memorable moments of the journey.

The pontiff, formerly known as Robert Prevost before his election, is visiting Spain for a series of engagements with Church leaders, government officials and Catholic faithful.

The trip is expected to take him to several locations, including Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will participate in religious and pastoral activities during the week-long visit.

While the visit is focused primarily on ecclesiastical and diplomatic engagements, the Pope’s football comment provided a rare glimpse into his personal sporting loyalties and added a lighter touch to the opening stages of the trip.

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