Paul Gascoigne's phone call with the Pope and reason he almost didn't pick up

Paul Gascoigne almost missed a historic call from the Pope, eventually answering with an unforgettable opening line. Gazza's stellar performance for during the Italia '90 launched him to new heights of fame, attracting attention not just from fans and media but also A-list celebrities seeking his company.

However, one particular phone call during his time at training ground left a lasting impression on him. On The Rest Is Football podcast, Gascoigne said: "It wasn't just [fans and journalists], it was from famous people as well. I was getting calls from , Dustin Hoffman, .

"I was getting calls from everywhere. The best one was I got told there was a phone call and I said 'tell them to f*** off, I'm training'. They said 'you better take the phone call'. I said, 'no I'm training, tell them I'll call them after my training'. They said it was important so I said, 'who the f*** is it?' They said it was The Pope, John Paul II."

With trademark humour, Gascoigne greeted the Pope with a warm Geordie welcome, recalling: "I picked up the phone and went, 'hi Pope, you alreet?' I said, 'hiya Pope, what do you want?' He said, 'come to , I want to meet you'.

"My Dad's a Catholic. We went over and saw the Pope, it was unbelievable." He continued: "When you're getting calls like that and then I'm getting coming to Dunston, where I live, wanting to come to my 40th birthday party. It was just crazy."

It comes as the world mourns at the age of 88. Succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who took over from Pope John Paul II in April 2005, the passing of Pope Francis was confirmed by Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo.

After battling health issues for months, he was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome for bronchitis treatment in February, which escalated into double pneumonia. The Cardinal, speaking from Casa Santa Marta, said: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.

"At 7.35am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. He devoted his life to serving God and His Church. He showed us how to embody Gospel values with faithfulness, bravery, and universal love, particularly towards the poor and the marginalized.

"We are immensely thankful for his leadership as a true disciple of Jesus Christ and we entrust Pope Francis' soul to the boundless mercy of our Triune God."

Meanwhile, Gazza has also reminisced about the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced during his illustrious career, from the pride of playing for to lifting the with Spurs.

Yet, it was representing England at Italia '90 that he holds above all else. Recalling the heartbreak of receiving a booking in the semi-final against West Germany, which would have ruled him out of the final, Gazza said: "Obviously, I broke down crying. I think most of it wasn't just because of the yellow card - I swear down I had probably the best time of my life.

"I'm someone that loves football and every day I'm training with the guys non-stop." He added: "Coming back to a hero's welcome was incredible and I cried my eyes out for about an hour. Thinking, 'this is where I used to play as a young kid and I've just come back from the World Cup'."

Ultimately, England's dreams were dashed in a penalty shootout defeat to West Germany, leading to their exit from the tournament, followed by a loss to Italy in the battle for third place.