Lisandro Martinez sends message to Pope Francis as pontiff receives gifted Man Utd shirt

Pope Francis beamed with delight when he was presented with a Manchester United shirt belonging to fellow Argentinian Lisandro Martinez on Thursday.

The gift was presented to the pontiff when an interfaith group from Manchester visited the Vatican, receiving an audience with the head of the Catholic Church.

World Cup winner Martinez is resting after surgery for a season-ending foot injury, but he has sent a personal message to the delegation.

The jersey was presented to Buenos Aires-born Pope Francis by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, bringing a smile to the 86-year-old's face.

Argentina's World Cup final victory over France in December was described by the Vatican's press service at the time as "a truly Herculean, titanic and historic example of absolutely sublime athletic skill. , reach the stars by the stars".

The United shirt received by Pope Francis was signed by Martinez and featured alongside photos of him lifting trophies with United and Argentina, and a message: "Your Holiness, with much love, LM ".

During the meeting with the group in Manchester, the pope spoke of the need to ensure that “the environmental and social crises of our time are not two separate crises but only one”.

He said: "Your united testimony is particularly eloquent, as your city's history is intertwined with the Industrial Revolution, with its legacy of immense technical and economic progress, as well as an admittedly negative impact on the human and natural environment. ."