Italian soccer has an ongoing myth that was brought back into the spotlight as of recently, every time a Pope dies Avellino get promoted. In reality this is a half truth.
This story bases itself on the following coincidences:
1958
Pope Pius XII dies
Avellino promoted to Serie C
1963
Pope John XXIII dies
Avellino promoted to Serie C
1978
Pope Paul XI dies
Pope John Paul I dies
Avellino promoted to Serie A
2005
Pope John Paul II dies
Avellino promoted to Serie B
2013
Pope Benedict XVI steps down
Avellino promoted to Serie B
2025
Pope Francis dies
Avellino promoted to Serie B
The first inconsistency is pretty easily spotted, in 2013 Pope Benedict XVI did not die but stepped down. In fact, Pope Benedict XVI died in 2022 and Avellino did not achieve promotion.
Also Avellino got promoted in 9 other occasions 1950, 1962, 1973, 1995, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011 e 2019. Nothing happened to any of the Popes in those years.
Lastly, some of the links made with the dates are very loose and generous. For example in 1958 the Pope died on October 9th, but Avellino only secured their promotion the following year in July of 1959. You could argue that coincidence refers to the league season and not the calendar year, so both events occurred within the 1958/59 "soccer year", however this argument is even harder to make in 1963.
Pope John XXIII died on June 3rd 1963, which was still during the 1962/63 season before Avellino had even gotten relegated to the Serie D in the first place. The following season they bounced right back and secured promotion in 1964 but it was neither within the calendar year or the season.
There are undeniably holes the story but the fact remains that there have been 6 Pope deaths (and 1 step down) post-WWII and every time (sort of) US Avellino got promoted. It is even more interesting to think that in the one year in which there were 2 deaths Avellino made it to the top flight of Italian soccer. Either way this is a fun story to tell even knowing it's not fully true.
