Overview
- A Vatican News trailer for the documentary Leone a Roma shows Pope Leo XIV walking in white Nike shoes with a black Swoosh in a brief shot promoting a film marking his first year as pope.
- Sneaker outlets including JustFreshKicks and Sole Retriever pegged the model as the Nike Franchise Low or Franchise Low Plus, a tennis-style shoe first sold in the 1970s and reissued around 2008.
- The clip spread widely online, with a Reddit screenshot topping 70,000 upvotes as viewers reacted to the casual look.
- Interest grew because Leo XIV is the first American pope and a Chicago sports fan, which made the sight of a U.S. brand on his feet resonate with fans.
- Coverage also veered into finance commentary, with a Daily Caller columnist calling the moment a boon for Nike and saying he bought shares after seeing the trailer.