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The Day "Coco" Basile Kicked Future Pope Francis Out of the Locker Room
In the late '90s, Alfio “Coco” Basile had a priest removed from San Lorenzo’s locker room for being "bad luck". Years later, he found out that priest was none other than Jorge Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis.
Years Later, the Truth Comes Out
In 2013, after Bergoglio was elected Pope Francis, the moment resurfaced. During a casual conversation, Miele reminded Basile of the incident. Only then did the former coach realize who the priest actually was.
"How could I not know who the Pope is? He’s Francis, the whole world knows him!" Basile said with a laugh, as he’s retold the story in several interviews—always as a reflection of his strong character and unshakable footballing rituals.
Today, the anecdote lives on in Argentine football folklore: a legendary manager’s superstition clashing with one of the most significant religious figures of modern times. As Coco Basile himself would say: “The locker room is sacred… even for a future Pope.”
