In a trailer for a new Vatican documentary, Pope Leo XIV was seen wearing a pair of white Nike sneakers under his religious robes – and they appear to be a limited-edition style.
So, Vatican News dropped a clip for this documentary, ‘Leone a Roma,’ and I totally noticed the Pope rocking a pair of white Nikes! You could clearly see the black Swoosh. The sneakerhead community immediately went into detective mode trying to figure out exactly what model he was wearing – it was kinda hilarious, honestly.
JustFreshKicks, a sneaker retailer, believes the shoes are the Nike Franchise Low. This is a somewhat rare tennis shoe that first came out in the 1970s and was re-released around 2008. You can easily identify it by its unique split sole design under the arch of the foot.
On Reddit, a screenshot from the video has hit over 70,000 upvotes.
Pope Leo XIV wearing Nikes
byu/fillinggoodman inpics
Even though these sneakers are getting some attention, they aren’t really expensive or highly sought-after like many new Nike shoes. Used pairs can sometimes be found online for between $20 and $50, but because they’re old and weren’t made in large numbers, they can be hard to find.
The news quickly spread online, and people were surprised to see the first American pope wearing what appeared to be a classic pair of Nike sneakers instead of traditional dress shoes.
I was surprised to learn that Pope Leo XIV, who was born Robert Prevost in Chicago, is a fellow sports fan! Apparently, he roots for the Chicago White Sox, which is awesome, and he even grew up watching the Bulls win all those championships – a great time to be a Chicago sports fan, just like me!
The White Sox are celebrating Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago, with a special “Pews at the Ballpark” night. Fans who attend will receive a limited-edition White Sox Pope hat.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 9, 2026
This Vatican documentary highlights Pope Francis’s life in Rome before he became Pope, and celebrates one year since he began his papacy.
That whole sneaker thing blew up online, and people started making jokes about it being like a celebrity endorsement. It was wild – everyone was saying Nike had somehow landed its most surprising spokesperson ever! It was just a really funny moment to watch unfold.
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2026-05-08 15:18