(ZENIT News / Rome, 04.24.2026).- In a meeting at the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican, José María del Corral, co-founder of Scholas Occurrentes, presented a symbolic proposal to Mario Gallavotti, supervisor of FIFA’s committees: the creation of the «Rag Ball.» The goal is to create an award that, alongside the famous Ballon d’Or for elite players, recognizes the best social initiatives related to football.
«Everyone has the right to play sports, but not everyone has the means to do so,» emphasized Del Corral, explaining how the “Rag Ball” represents the democratic essence of the game.
A Legacy That Endures
The call was launched on April 21 at the Casina Pio IV, headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, during a ceremony commemorating the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s death. The event celebrated the Scholas Occurrentes Foundation as an integral part of his spiritual and educational legacy.
Founded on the outskirts of Buenos Aires during Jorge Bergoglio’s Archbishopric, Scholas is today a global network that uses art, sports, and technology to break down barriers between young people from different social backgrounds.
The Pope’s connection to this symbol is profound. In numerous interviews, Pope Francis fondly recalled how, as a child in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, he played with balls made of rags: «The important thing wasn’t the ball, but being together.»
While the Ballon d’Or celebrates individual excellence and media success, the “Rag Ball “was created to: reward local organizations that transform sport into a tool for inclusion; build bridges where social or economic barriers exist; and promote the integral development of the individual, prioritizing human growth over mere sports technique.
As Del Corral pointed out, the current system tends to focus exclusively on «champions,» running the risk of forgetting the game’s primary social function. The “Rag Ball “would restore dignity to that street football that seeks not glory, but fraternity.
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