Pope Francis has welcomed the victorious Bayern Munich team to the Vatican after its 7-1 Champions League rout of Roma, telling the players they "played a wonderful game" and receiving a signed jersey in return.

CEO Karl Heinz Rummenigge said it was "a great honor" for the German club and announced Bayern would donate one million euros in proceeds from a future friendly match to the pope for charitable purposes.

Rumminegge told Francis it would be up to him to use the money "to help people in need wherever they are in the world and regardless of their faith," the team's website said.

The soccer-mad Francis has received several visiting teams and has a collection of signed jerseys.

The private audience occurred before Wednesday's general audience.