VATICAN - FEBRUARY 24: ---Mater Ecclesiae's player Astorga Cesar shows his t-shirt with the Madonna as he celebrates the victory 6-0 against 'La Gregoriana' at the end of the first match . Inaugural 2007 Clericus Cup soccer competition for priests and seminarians at the Vatican,at the 'St. Peter's Sporting Center'. The competition was launched by an Italian Christian sporting organisation in a bid to promote a sporting culture in the Church. The teams are likely to be made up of trainee priests, who are studying at the various pontifical universities in Rome.Instead of countries pitted one against another, Vatican saw the opportunity for national loyalties to disappear as African, Asian, European and American seminarians played together under the banner of a love for sport and the positive values the game fortifies. Games are limited to one hour which may tempt some of the older generation to play. 16 teams, fielding 311 athletes from countries including the USA, Papua New Guinea, Brazil and Rwanda, will take part in the tournament and the final will take place in June.The Vatican even has a vision of forming a team capable of playing in the Serie A, according to its new No. 2 official, Secretary of State and soccer enthusiast Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. (Photo by Eric VANDEVILLE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
