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'Pope's regret' over '82 World Cup


SPECIAL REPORT
1920~2005

WARSAW, Poland -- Pope John Paul II regretted not praying for his native Poland during the national team's run to the semifinals of the 1982 World Cup, according to the team's star player.

Zbigniew Boniek told the Polsat television station that the Polish team had met the pontiff before the finals in Spain and asked for his prayers.

"God does not have favorites in football," the pope replied, according to Boniek.

Poland went on to reach the last four, before losing 2-0 to eventual champions Italy.

Boniek, who had scored four goals in the tournament missed the semifinal after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament in Poland's previous match.

Boniek, who played in Italy for Juventus, returned to the Vatican with the Turin side a few months later and recalled being called aside by Stanislaw Dziwisz, the pope's personal secretary.

"Father Dziwisz told me that if the pope had known Poland would come in third place in the World Cup, he would have prayed," said Boniek.

The pope, whose funeral took place on Friday, was a keen goalkeeper in his youth. All Italian football matches were cancelled last weekend as a mark of respect.


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