Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where many connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom.

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio San leonardo in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture a young boy plays football at the Oratorio Santa Maria al Paradiso in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio Sant’Agostino in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio Santo Nome di Maria in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the OratorioSan Giovanni Nepomuceno in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture a young boy plays football at the Oratorio San Leonardo in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio San Romano in Lambrate in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio San Martino in Lambrate in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio San Nazaro in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture a young boy plays football at the Oratorio Santa Maria del Rosario in Milan. Photo Luz/Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio in Milan. Photo Luz/Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture a young boy plays football at the Oratorio Padre Monti in Milan. Photo Luz/Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture a young boy plays football at the Oratorio Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture children play football at the Oratorio paolo VI in Milan. Photo Paolo Bona

Football is often described as the religion of the people and this is nowhere more true than in Italy where the connection between the church and the beautiful game is both social and spiritual. For many young Italians the church run Oratorio provides an initial playground, a field of dreams, where many of the Azzurri first began their journey to international stardom. In this picture a young boy with the AC Milan shirt plays football at the Oratorio San Giovanni Battista in Milan. PhotoPaolo Bona