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Pope Leo XIV joked Saturday that he knows who would win if young people had to choose between seeing him or Latin pop singer Bad Bunny this weekend.
The Pope, who began a weeklong visit to Spain on Saturday, acknowledged that he is competing for attention with the Puerto Rican superstar while in Madrid. Many young Spaniards, he suggested, would likely choose the Grammy-winning artist over the pontiff.
“If they are confronted with the question ‘Do you want to go see Bad Bunny or do you want to go to see the pope?’ I think many will see Bad Bunny,” Leo told reporters aboard the papal plane before his arrival.
“But I think there will also be a few here to see the pope,” he added. “And that says something, you know.”
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Pope Leo XIV told reporters that many young people would likely choose to see Bad Bunny over the pontiff if given the choice. (Mariano Regidor/Getty Images; Gregorio Borgia/AP)
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is currently performing a 10-show run in Madrid as part of his Spanish tour.
Leo raised the comparison while discussing what he described as signs of a spiritual awakening among some young people in Spain.
The pope said many young adults appear to be searching for meaning and expressed hope that his visit could help “awaken” something within them.
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Pope Leo XIV was first brought to the Vatican by Francis to serve as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, which is one of the most important positions in the Catholic Church as it vets bishop nominations issued globally. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP)
Despite his remarks, thousands of young Catholics turned out to greet the pope.
An estimated 500,000 people gathered in a Madrid plaza Saturday evening for a prayer vigil, chanting, “This is the youth of the pope!”
Leo later rode through the crowd in his popemobile while a Spanish rendition of the 1970s musical “Godspell” played.
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Bad Bunny speaks during the Super Bowl LX halftime show press conference at Moscone Center on Feb. 5, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
The Chicago-born pope was also asked about reports that the Chicago Bears could soon move out of Illinois.
The team’s board of directors voted Thursday to advance a proposed stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana.
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“That’s out of my pay (scale),” Leo quipped when asked about the potential relocation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.