Fans Pay Respects to Maradona
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Sports Friday, November 27, 2020 13 Maradona death kept Fans pay respects to Maradona from ailing AFP former coach BUENOS AIRES THOUSANDS of Argentines Bilardo filed past Diego Maradona’s coffin in Buenos Aires on AFP Thursday after the country BUENOS AIRES and the world of football was plunged into mourning by his CARLOS Bilardo, the coach of death at the age of 60. Argentina’s 1986 World Cup- Mourners, many in tears, winning team who is in poor and many wearing the World health, was still unaware on Cup winner’s number 10 Ar- Thursday of the death of Diego gentina jersey, gathered at the Maradona on Thursday, be- Casa Rosada presidential pal- cause of his family’s wish not ace where the national hero’s to upset him. coffin was draped in the sky Maradona, who cap- blue and white Argentine flag. tained the 1986 team, died on Many more will pay hom- Wednesday from a heart at- age to one of the all-time tack at the age of 60. sporting greats before his bur- “I cannot tell him that Diego ial on the outskirts of Buenos is dead,” Carlos’s brother Jorge Aires later on Thursday. Bilardo told Radio Provincia, Maradona will be laid to because he had a “father-son” rest in the Jardin de Paz cem- relationship with Maradona. etery, where his parents were Carlos Bilardo had repeat- also buried, his spokesman Se- edly said during interviews bastian Sanchi told AFP. that Diego was “the son that Tributes poured in from (he had) not had”. around the world as support- Argentine President Alberto Fernandez (left) and his partner Fabiola Yanez pay tribute to the coffin of The former coach, 82, ers, players and government Argentine football legend Diego Maradona at the burning chapel in Casa Rosada presidential palace is suffering from neurologi- leaders marked the passing of in Buenos Aires on Thursday. (Argentinian Presidency/AFP) cal disorders. He lives in an a sporting genius whose career apartment in Buenos Aires and life was sometimes tainted was announced. nos Juniors’ Diego Armando unfashionable Napoli to their where he is treated by nurses by a loose interpretation of the Lionel Messi, Argentina’s Maradona Stadium, where he only two Italian league titles who are prohibited from let- rules of the game and a crip- modern-day superstar, led the started his career. in 1987 and 1990, befriending ting him watch television. pling addiction to cocaine. tributes as he said: “He has left a mafia family along the way. “The nurse already knew The outrageously skilful us but he will never leave us ‘Ciao Diego’ “Always in our hearts. Ciao Aerial view of people queueing along Avenida de Mayo avenue to reach that if this happened, the tel- Maradona, widely remem- because Diego is eternal.” Maradona grew up in pov- Diego,” Napoli tweeted, while the Casa Rosada presidential palace to pay tribute to late Argentine evision had to be turned off,” bered for his “Hand of God” Brazilian legend Pele, 80, erty, but his extraordinary tal- the club’s president and the football legend Diego Maradona in Buenos Aires on Thursday. (AFP) said Jorge Bilardo. goal against England in the constantly compared with ent was clear from a young age city’s mayor called for the Sta- “She did so by telling him 1986 World Cup quarter- Maradona in the debate over at Argentinos Juniors and Boca. dio San Paolo to be renamed Maradona married his Junior, born in Naples in 1986, that the cable had been cut.” finals, died Wednesday of a football’s greatest player, said He moved to Barcelona after Maradona. long-time girlfriend Claudia although he only acknowl- Carlos Bilardo took Argen- heart attack while recovering he hoped they would one day but was singled out for rough In recent years, Maradona, Villafane in 1984. They had edged paternity in 2004. tina to three World Cups, from from brain surgery, a member “play together in the sky”. treatment by opposing de- reduced to hobbling by the two daughters, Dalma and In 2000, FIFA ran an on- 1982 to 1990. They won in 1986 of his entourage told AFP. Despite a wave of coro- fenders and soon fell out of ravages of his career and life- Gianinna, but the relationship line Player of the Century poll. and, with Maradona still very Family members were navirus cases in Argentina, love with the Spanish club. style, had coached in the Unit- was punctuated by Marado- Maradona gained 54 percent much the playmaker, reached summoned to Maradona’s fans gathered at landmarks It was in Naples where ed Arab Emirates, Mexico and na’s extra-marital affairs and of the vote and Pele was sec- the final four years later when home north of the Argen- including Buenos Aires’ Ob- Maradona would enchant an Argentina without ever hitting they divorced in 2004. ond with 18 percent. FIFA de- they lost to West Germany. tine capital before his death elisk monument and Argenti- entire city by leading the then the heights of his playing days. He also had a son, Diego clared them joint winners. Maradona ‘shone a very bright light’: Former agent India football stronghold mourns Diego AFP “When he (Maradona) was in Naples, he liked collecting in five years as his agent, until LONDON his contract was suddenly ter- Ferraris. He had several but a few were badly beaten minated: “In 1991 the powers DIEGO Maradona “shone a up. One looked like someone had walked all over it. that be in Naples thanked me very bright light” despite his In his worst English, he said ‘the problem is when I for a fantastic job but my ser- well-documented struggles off stop at red lights fans clamber all over them’.” vices were no longer required.” the pitch, his British former One story sums up the ma- agent told AFP. joined English club Tottenham, quarter-final. nia that surrounded Marado- Jon Smith, who pioneered was on the phone to Maradona, England goalkeeper Peter na. “When he was in Naples, the role of “super agent” in who was looking for an agent, Shilton remains upset that he liked collecting Ferraris,” the world of football, said the and the rest is history. Maradona never apologised recalled Smith. “One time I player who almost single- Smith said he was able for cheating by using his hand was there pre-lunch he took handedly drove Argentina to to wield some influence over to score. But Smith said oth- me downstairs to the garage to the 1986 World Cup title was Maradona but it was limited as ers were more than willing to show me his latest. a Jekyll-and-Hyde character. he was London and his client meet the Argentine. “When he “He had several and I no- On the one hand there was was in Naples, where he played was in London one time we ticed a few were badly beaten a “lovely boy” from Buenos his club football at the time. had dinner with Gary Lineker up. One looked like someone Aires and on the other there Smith said the Argentine and a few other people and had walked all over it. was the party animal whose fitted the archetype of the they got on well,” said Smith. “In his worst English he life spiralled out of control. “flawed genius”. Maradona “was very said, ‘the problem is when I Smith secured Maradona as Smith, who initially forged charming but obviously there stop at red lights fans clamber a client after the 1986 World Cup a successful career in the mu- was a bit of hurt and angst,” all over them’. finals by luck after two cancelled sic business, signed Maradona he added. “It was hard, it was “I think perhaps the best In this file photo taken on December 6, 2008 Diego Maradona gestures as he attends a felicitation meetings, when he happened to after he become the villain in tough but it happened and life deal I ever did was convincing programme at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in India. (AFP) be at Ossie Ardiles’ house. the eyes of English football was moving on.” the Naples police to give him Ardiles, a 1978 World Cup fans for his “Hand of God” Smith said life was never special dispensation to drive winner with Argentina who had goal in the 1986 World Cup boring with his illustrious client through red lights.” India’s Kerala announces two-day official mourning AFP KANNUR SOUTH AFRICA VS ENGLAND T20I SERIES EVEN in the land of cricket, Diego Maradona’s death came as such a shock that one In- dian state declared two days Time to put on a show, says of official mourning and fans flocked to a hotel room where the football deity once slept. The Argentine footballer, England skipper Morgan who died on Wednesday at the age of 60, is so revered in Ker- AFP picked to cover both the T20 se- ala state that even the shells A frame with images of the late Diego Maradona outside the room CAPE TOWN ries and a one-day international from some prawns he ate dur- at Hotel Blue Nile in Kannur, Kerala, in India. where Maradona stayed series immediately afterwards. ing his visit in 2012 have been during his trip in 2012. (AFP) ENGLAND captain Eoin Mor- “We will narrow it down freeze-dried and framed. gan says his England team are to 12 or 13 when we get to the A steady stream of fans and “We have saved the cutlery, million people in 2017 to un- determined to “put on a bit of ground today,” he said.