In Chiclayo, the city where the new Pope Leo XIV carried out part of his pastoral work, there exists the San Lorenzo de Almagro Sports Social Club, founded on March 28, 1928, which shares colors and a notably similar shield to that of the Argentine club of the same name, recognized for its connection to the Church and of which Pope Francis was a well-known supporter.
In addition, San Lorenzo de Chiclayo has Boca Juniors of the city as its classic rival, a similarity that mirrors another of the great rivalries in Argentine football, such as the "Cyclone" with the "Xeneizes." The Chiclayo team, nicknamed the "Saints of the Cercado," participated in the lower divisions of Peruvian football, where it reached a brief period of prominence in the 1960s by competing in the Copa Perú, the second most important tournament in the country.
Although Juan Aurich is the most prominent club in the region, the local classic between San Lorenzo and Boca Juniors of Chiclayo is usually held in the District League, with home matches taking place at the Elías Aguirre stadium. The foundation of the San Lorenzo de Almagro Sports Social Club is attributed to a group of local youths seeking a sports institution, choosing the name in honor of the Argentine club founded two decades earlier.
In 1942, San Lorenzo de Chiclayo became the first team from its district to defeat Universitario, one of the historic clubs in Peruvian football, and subsequently achieved the regional championship and qualification for the final stage of the Copa Perú in the late sixties.
For his part, Cardinal Robert Prevost is known as a 69-year-old American missionary who dedicated his career to serving in Peru, according to a North American media outlet. At the time of being elected Pope, he headed the powerful bishops' office of the Vatican. He is the first American pope in the 2000 years of Catholic Church history, as noted by the Associated Press news agency.
The late Pope Francis brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that examines bishop nominations worldwide, one of the most important positions in the Catholic Church.