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Sunderland priest gives Pope Leo football jersey

Wednesday night’s match against AZ Alkmaar is the Black Cats’ first European game in 53 years.

“I think every Pope deserves a Sunderland strip so I took it out this week and presented it to him today,” said Lyden-Smith.

He said the pontiff was “very nice, American of course, so it’s nice to be able to speak in English with the Pope.

“The last Pope had broken English, but yeah, it was great, lovely man, warm, very down to earth, very grounded and just a really nice man as you’d expect.”

However, Lyden-Smith said he accidentally got him a size too small.

“You never know, he might wear it for a pyjama top rather than out in the Vatican,” he said.

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