The Vatican has called on spectators at Sunday’s World Cup final to ‘pause for peace’ before the game, while continuing to play down rivalries between Pope Francis and his predecessor.

A senior Vatican official asked football fans to take a moment before the final game at the Maracana stadium to remember those affected by war and poverty.

The official also sought to play down ‘amusing’ rumours of rivalry between Argentine Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict, a German, saying the two had not decided how to spend Sunday night.

Benedict, the source pointed out, is not a football fan, but added: “Let’s see. The current situation is unique”.

The Vatican’s spokesman said he did not believe Benedict, now 87 and living his retirement in seclusion in an ex-convent in the Vatican, would watch the match, because of the late hour.

Francis, on the other hand, is most definitely a football fan having been a keen supporter of San Lorenzo while archbishop of Buenos Aires.

A spokesman for the council said it would be up to each fan, each team and each organization, including soccer governing body FIFA, if, how and when they wanted to observe a moment of ‘silence or reflection or pause’ to remember those suffering.

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