Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, ya' know. At least that's what every soccer fan in the U.S. will tell anyone who claims it's not exactly the most thrilling thing to sit through.

But now, soccer supporters have some more ammunition to back them up: God bought an Italian soccer team ... okay, that's not entirely true. The Vatican bought it. Here is what is said by the English paper, The Telegraph:

"The Vatican has pledged to clean up Italian football after buying its own club ... The Italian Bishop's Conference now has a controlling stake in AC Ancona, currently top of Italy's third division, after the money was provided by a group of Roman Catholic businessmen."

Why do this? To help the world, and use the team to promote Catholicism. The squad they bought, AC Ancona, has gotten into a bit of trouble lately. Seems as if the former team president was jailed for accounting fraud, and there was a major game-fixing scandal happening. Rest assured, the Vatican will have none of that:

"Team managers, members, trainers, players and fans will have to adhere to a new ethics code drawn up by the Catholic sports center."

Anything else? Why, yes, there is:

"The Vatican aims to introduce an ethical code which will punish Ancona's players for any foul play.

Tickets for Ancona's home matches will drop in price, and all profits will go to projects in the Third World.

Fans will be forbidden from taunting and insulting the opposition, and from unfurling offensive banners and flags."

No taunting or insulting the opposition? That might be tough for soccer fans. At least there is one benefit for the players - they got to meet the pope.

While the point of this was to create a mouthpiece for Catholicism, it doesn't hurt that a Vatican higher-up enjoys his soccer football:

"Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, is a fanatical football fan and has openly spoken about his ambition to create a football team of priests.

Last year, he established the Clericus Cup tournament for priests and seminarians in Rome.

The tournament was widely seen as a success, although there was rather more dirty play than anticipated."