"Pope Wears Nike" ... Bold Fashion Choice Captivates the World

"After Air Jordan, It's Time for Air Leo"
Becomes a Sensation

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, has captured the world's attention after being spotted wearing Nike sneakers with his clerical robes.

Pope Leo XIV wearing Nike sneakers. Vatican News

On May 8, marking the first anniversary of Leo XIV’s papacy, Vatican News released a trailer for the documentary "Leone a Roma" (Leo in Rome), commemorating his first year as pope. In the footage, Leo XIV is seen dressed in white clerical robes and wearing white Nike sneakers with a prominent black Swoosh logo.

This scene was reportedly filmed while Leo XIV was spending time in Rome before being elected pope last year. The image has gone viral among netizens worldwide, who commented with excitement, calling him “Holy drip,” “the most stylish pope ever,” and even suggesting, “Nike should release Air Leo, following Air Jordan.” International media also covered the moment, with headlines such as “The devil wears Prada, the pope wears Nike,” and “For just $20–100, you too can dress like the pope.” A leading sneaker publication identified the shoes as the Nike Franchise Low Plus, a model first launched as tennis shoes in the 1970s and re-released in the late 2000s.

Leo, 14, wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball cap, watching a game. Photo by AP Yonhap News

In fact, the pope is known to be an avid fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team and was also famous for regularly visiting a health club near the Vatican during his time as a cardinal. The pope’s personal trainer commented, “His muscle mass, bone density, and body fat percentage were all outstanding for his age,” and described him as someone who had never given up exercise in his life. When the relatively young Leo XIV was elected at last year’s conclave of cardinals, the gathering that selects the pope, there were jokes that the cardinals had intentionally handed over the heavy responsibilities to a healthy and younger successor.

Meanwhile, on May 7, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the pope and presented him with a crystal American football inscribed with the State Department seal. American football is the most popular sport in the United States. Following the outbreak of the Iran war, the pope and U.S. President Donald Trump have engaged in a heated war of words. Some analysts commented that the Trump administration may feel uneasy about clashing with Leo XIV, who enjoys deep respect among Americans, as highlighted by Secretary Rubio’s gift.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.