Paul Gascoigne has revealed his remarkable opening line after getting a surprise phone call from The Pope.
Fresh from his displays for England at Italia ‘90, Gascoigne had become a worldwide sensation. The pictures of Gazza breaking down in tears after receiving a yellow card that would rule him out of a possible final, only to produce a heroic effort in the final minutes as the Three Lions came agonisingly close to victory, encapsulated the spirit of an unforgettable World Cup.
The tournament paved the way for the then-23-year-old to become a global phenomenon. Fans, media and fellow celebrities were all captivated by Gazza, but one conversation at Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground stands out above the rest for the iconic midfielder.
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Gascoigne described his level of fame by recalling a particular call he received during training: “It wasn’t just [fans and journalists], it was from famous people as well. I was getting calls from George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman, Oprah Winfrey. I was getting calls from everywhere,” he explained.
“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.
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“I picked up the phone and went, ‘Hi Pope, you alreet?’ I said, ‘Hiya Pope, what do you want?’ He said, ‘Come to the Vatican, I want to meet you.’ My Dad’s a Catholic. We went over and saw The Pope, it was unbelievable”
Gascoigne added: “When you’re getting calls like that and then I’m getting Mike Tyson coming to Dunston, where I live, wanting to come to my 40th birthday party. It was just crazy.”
Paul Gascoigne became a global icon during Italia 90 (David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images)Gascoigne enjoyed some incredible highs during his career, not limited to playing for his boyhood club Newcastle United, winning the FA Cup with Spurs and becoming a legend at Rangers. However, Gazza confessed that at the time, despite his young age, he felt he would never be able to surpass the joy of playing for England at Italia ‘90.
Reflecting on the poignant scenes of himself being booked in the semi-final, Gascoigne 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.”
“For me, I felt like my career was ending,” he admitted. “I was only 23, thinking, ‘My career’s coming to an end.’
Paul Gascoigne loved his time with England at the 1990 World Cup (David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images)“I always remember going back home after the World Cup. I went to the social club with my Dad and told him I wouldn’t be long. I went up to the park on my own, it was dark, and I just sort of cried my eyes out. I feel like crying now!
“Crying my eyes out and thinking, ‘God, this is where I’ve come from, from being there to the World Cup. 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.’”
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