Home ›› 26 Nov 2022 ›› Sport
Argentina football greats on Friday set off a day of World Cup tributes to the “immortal” Diego Maradona on the second anniversary of his death.
Fans unfurled Maradona flags on Doha’s seafront and gathered at a South American confederation (CONMEBOL) ceremony alongside former players including Argentina World Cup winners Mario Kempes and Alberto Tarantini.
Maradona died of a heart attack on November 25, 2020 at the age of 60, setting off a wave of deep mourning across the football world. The Argentine played in four World Cups, lifting the trophy in 1986 when he scored his “Hand of God” goal but he was kicked out of the 1994 tournament after failing a drug test.
“His death is something Argentina has never got over,” said Daniel Luque, who unfurled a flag with Maradona’s portrait at the World Cup countdown clock early Friday.
Some fans shouted “Viva Diego” as South American confederation president Alejandro Dominguez and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino paid their tributes at the CONMEBOL fan zone.
Dominguez and Infantino both called Maradona “immortal”. The FIFA boss said he would like a ceremony for the player at every World Cup.
“Hopefully God is playing with him,” said Tarantini, a defender in the side that won the 1978 World Cup.
