Papa Francisco soccer team named after Pope Francis has 2 players sent off in first match

LUJAN, Argentina, April 14 (UPI) -- An Argentinian soccer team named after Pope Francis with the hope of promoting non-violence didn’t exactly get off to the most peaceful start after having two players ejected with red cards in its opening match.

The Papa Francisco team saw its opening match with Trefules end 2-2 with four red cards handed out overall.

The 47-member team was founded by Jorge Ramírez shortly after Jorge Bergoglio was named pope. Despite its name, Pope Francis is not officially affiliated with the Papa Francisco club. "Our motto is no hooligans, no violence and no insults," Ramírez said.

Despite being nicknamed “The Saint of the South,” the team could not get through its first match without incident. "It will be a complicated thing if we insult others," said midfielder Fabian Gaddi, "but the pope is Argentinian and he knows and understands us."

[Metro] [Daily Mail]