WI: Vatican Football Club

What if post WW2, a football loving Pope decides to setup a football club which is owned by the Vatican and can play in the Serie A. Where would the club play and what would be their stance on non-Catholic players and Shirt sponsorship? And how will the Vatican fund the club and how big can they become?
 
What if post WW2, a football loving Pope decides to setup a football club which is owned by the Vatican and can play in the Serie A. Where would the club play and what would be their stance on non-Catholic players and Shirt sponsorship? And how will the Vatican fund the club and how big can they become?

I think that such a club would resemble Athletic Bilbao or so:
- Catholics only (but those from all nations and regions - no ethnic discriminations)
- shirt sponsorship would probably be acceptable (or the finances would constantly come from the Catholic Church, after all they are extremely rich!)
- and thus, they could regularly play a good role in Serie A. Championship would be an exception (but possible), normally place 3 to 8.
 
For some reason I'm picturing a Italian version of Celtic. Set up to help the poor and by the church, money goes toward that goal and promotes goodwill the only difference maybe the signing of players as Celtic doesn't have a rule for signing only Catholics.
 
To avoid confusion between European and American readers, I shall say we're speaking of soccer, ain't we?

Well now I'm imagining a bunch of players wearing habits as they run downfield...
Me too
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But what type of Sponsors will be allowed?

Ones that have no conflict with Church teaching. Most athletic wear brands would be out for unfair working conditions. American companies jumping on the pro-LGBT bandwagon would be out. Very few companies would actually make the cut.

Mondragon, maybe? It was partially founded by a priest as a model of a Catholic worker co-op.
 
John Paul II was a goalkeeper when he was younger and had an interest in football, he wasn't Pope in the 1950s obviously but he would probably have loved a Vatican football team.
 
John Paul II was a goalkeeper when he was younger and had an interest in football, he wasn't Pope in the 1950s obviously but he would probably have loved a Vatican football team.


Brings a whole new meaning for me of the Holy Goalie although my one was also Polish.
 
Let's say Cardinal Karol Wojtyla on seeing the influence of promiscuous and hedonistic footballers on the fans decides that football world needs a truly Catholic team. So after the 1974 world cup, the Vatican forms a new team, Eu Clava Sanctus aka EC Sanctus that takes part in Italian football. By 1984, they reach the Serie A and in short time they become a strong team. The football club has the policy of employing only Catholics and is considered a very impressive club.
 
What if post WW2, a football loving Pope decides to setup a football club which is owned by the Vatican and can play in the Serie A. Where would the club play and what would be their stance on non-Catholic players and Shirt sponsorship? And how will the Vatican fund the club and how big can they become?
Isn't that largely OTL? Just allow them to play in Serie A, and boom.
 
But what type of Sponsors will be allowed?
Maybe there woud be no sponsors?
Since 1990 the Vatican is sponsoring a Cycling team: Amore e Vita. The sponsoring is to campaign against abortion and euthanasia.

If they had started a footballteam playing in serie A, they probably wouldn't start sponsoring a cyclingteam, but stick to football instead.
 
Would there be a sportsmanship clause for players signed to this team? The Catholic Church has promoted football in the past for teaching positive values related to sportsmanship, so I can't see the Church appreciating foul play and unsportsmanlike conduct in its football club.

And then what would the Church think if they were playing at a venue where sponsers the church disapproves of are shown? Not to mention I can't imagine seeing the Church's football team next to alcohol advertising would be rather odd.
 
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