The tributes multiplied, Wednesday, November 25, from the minutes following the announcement of the death of Diego Maradona at the age of 60. The 1986 world champion, one of the best players in football history, died of cardiac arrest in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, while recovering at home from his operation for a bruise on his head beginning of November. Argentina immediately declared three days of national mourning in the country which loses one of its most beloved personalities, and plunged into tears on Wednesday.
“One day, I hope we can play ball together in paradise”, reacted quickly in a Tweet the Brazilian Pelé, the other football legend. “What sad news, he wrote. I have lost a great friend and the world has lost a legend. There is a lot to say, but, for now, may God give strength to those close to him. “
What sad notícia. Eu perdi um grande amigo eo mundo perdeu uma lenda. Ainda há muito a ser dito, mas por agora,… https://t.co/1HA42DTEZX
“Diego is eternal”, greeted the Argentinian superstar of FC Barcelona Lionel Messi after the death of his compatriot, by posting on Instagram two photos of him with “El Pibe de Oro”. “A very sad day for all Argentines and for football. He leaves us, but he does not go away, because Diego is eternal. I keep in me all the beautiful moments I spent with him and would like to take this opportunity to convey my condolences to all his family and friends. RIP “, reacted the six-fold Golden Ball.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese striker for Juventus Turin, hailed “An eternal genius” by sharing on social networks a black and white photo where we see him alongside the former Argentine footballer. “Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best of all time. An incomparable magician. He leaves too early, but leaves a limitless legacy and a void that will never be filled. Rest in peace, crack. You will never be forgotten ”, wrote the five-fold Portuguese Golden Ball.
Former international Gary Lineker, England scorer during the famous England-Argentina 1986 World Cup, greeted “By far the best player in [sa] generation and arguably the greatest of all time ”. “After a blessed but troubled life, let’s hope that he finally finds comfort in the hands of God”, he wrote on Twitter.
“It’s our past that is going away”, reacted on RTL Michel Platini, rival of the Argentinian in the 80s in the Italian championship. ” I am very sad. I am nostalgic for a time that was beautiful… Cruyff, Di Stefano, Puskas left, full of great players who marked my youth. Diego marked my life “, said the old no 10 of the Blues and Juventus, 65 years old.
A minute of silence in the Champions League
“You put us on top of the world. You made us immensely happy. You were the tallest of all. Thanks for being there, Diego. We will miss you all our life ”, said the President of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez.
“Goodbye, Diego. You will be eternal in all the hearts of the football planet », for his part wrote the Argentine selection on Twitter:
Hasta siempre, Diego. Serás #Eterno en cada corazón del planeta fútbol. https://t.co/jcsGP3GlNI
“Thank you everlasting. Eternal Diego “, soberly reacted Boca Juniors, the Buenos Aires club where the future author of the “hand of God” exploded in the early 1980s, before leaving for Europe. For his part, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, the last team he coached, wrote: “Goodbye, Diego. It is with deep sorrow and sadness that we mourn the passing of Diego Armando Maradona, our dear coach. “
The Argentine Federation wrote, on Twitter : “The Argentine Football Association, through the voice of its president Claudio Tapia, expresses its deepest sorrow after the death of our legend, Diego Armando Maradona. “
” Forever. Hi Diego ”, also posted on Twitter the official account of SSC Napoli, which he had made happy between 1984 and 1991. The Naples club has indeed experienced its golden age and its only two Italian football championship titles (1987, 1990) with the Argentine footballer. The San Paolo stadium will remain lit all night in his honor.
The club from southern Italy, which has transformed the blue of its logo into black as a sign of mourning, posted a second message a little later, accompanied by a new photo of the no 10 Argentinian in the blue jersey:
Tutti si aspettano our word. Ma quali parole possiamo usare per un dolore like quello che stiamo vivendo? O… https://t.co/ansDTnBwda
“Everyone is waiting for our words. But what words can we use to express pain like the one we feel? For the moment, it is the time for tears, then the time for words will come. “
“Thank you for everything, Diego”, for its part tweeted FC Barcelona, where he began his European career in 1982. He had played 58 games and scored 38 goals in the Blaugrana jersey, before leaving for Napoli in 1984.
Barca’s eternal rivals Real Madrid also reacted in a statement, regretting “Profoundly the death of the legend of world football Diego Armando Maradona” and evoking the“One of the best players in history”. “Maradona leaves a huge legacy, and has turned into a myth for millions of supporters around the world”, added Real. His trainer, Zinédine Zidane, mentioned “A huge loss for the world in general, and for the world of football” at the microphone of the Spanish channel Movistar +.
His Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola praised “A man of joy and pleasure [qui] made world football better. “” His performances with Napoli and with the Argentina team in Mexico in 1986, it was something incredible “, added the technician.
A minute of silence will be observed on Wednesday and Thursday evening before all Champions League and Europa League matches, UEFA announced.
Tributes to the top of the institutions
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Diego Maradona, one of the greatest and most emblematic figures in world football. He touched the glory by being an excellent player, with a genius and a charisma all his own ”, reacted UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin on Twitter.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino also paid tribute to him: “What Diego has done for football, to make us all fall in love with this wonderful sport, is unique. It is, just like him, simply immensethe boss of world football said in a statement. Diego deserves our undying gratitude for that, for blowing us all away with his incredible talent. “
His predecessor, Sepp Blatter, said: “It’s sad, very sad, the disappearance of one of the very best footballers of our time. He marked the World Cup in Mexico with the Argentine victory and the hand of God, which he has just found. “
On Twitter, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, wrote: “Farewell to a great one. You were a troubled soul, but you delighted the whole world with your unique footballing skills. Rest in peace. “
During the night, President Emmanuel Macron also paid a vibrant tribute to Diego Maradona, believing that this “Artist”, this “Genius”, “This sumptuous player” is “The greatest footballer of all time”, the one who “Made the revolution on the ground”.
