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| The rivals: Pope Francis (left) embraces Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI |
With Argentina meeting Germany in the World Cup final, the Vatican on Friday brushed aside talk of soccer rivalry between Argentine Pope Francis and his predecessor Benedict, a German.
In response to the intense media speculation about whether they would watch the game together, which it called "amusing", the Vatican called on soccer fans to observe a "pause for peace" before Sunday's final to remember victims of war and poverty.