The World Reacts to Diego Maradona’s Death

Diego Maradona is one of those stars who every football fan has a memory of. I remember watching him in that game against England in the 86 World Cup and experiencing overwhelming emotions – the hot injustice of his handball goal, and then the electrifying awe of his second, tied to a disappointment that was almost too much to bear. In the wake of that game, the man was vilified, hated, he was on the cover of every newspaper and the talk of the playground. He seemed almost supernatural in this, supernatural in his abilities and his capacity to get away with murder (or near enough!). It gave him immense power and fascination.

It was the same by the time of the 1994 World Cup, watching him from the sofa as he whipped in an astonishing goal against Greece and then ran screaming right towards the camera, demonic, exultant. Shortly after, he tested positive for cocaine. I was unaware of cocaine at the time, but I knew when an adult was a maniac.

But it was the awe that lingered. When I was twelve or thirteen I somehow managed to get my dad to buy me a pair of Puma Maradona football boots, out of guilt when he failed to pick me up after school one day. These boots not only had Maradona’s signature on them (I didn’t know it was just printed on, I was a dumb kid), but were exceptionally comfortable compared to the crap I’d had to wear in previous years, and well, they seemed filled with magical properties. I played my best ever season for the school football team, dazzling all and sundry – I think, I can’t remember at all if truth be told, but the boots filled me with a belief that I could do great things on the pitch. And that was enough for me.

Funny that, how a man’s special aura transferred itself via an inanimate object into the mind of a kid from East Yorkshire. Imagine how it affected the people in Argentina. Imagine the grief they are feeling now.

Here are some of the reactions from them and around the world:

Thousands of people took to the streets of Buenos Aires to bid an emotional farewell to Diego Maradona 💙 pic.twitter.com/kfH6ts2Ud0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 26, 2020

The world lost one of the greatest soccer players that ever lived Diego Maradona. It was one of the thrills of my life when I got to meet him. Rest In Peace my friend and my prayers go out to his family. 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/SgQvij7a72

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 25, 2020

"He had such an incredible passion for the game."

"I've never seen anyone have such a beautiful affection with a football."

A heartfelt tribute from @GaryLineker to the one and only Diego Maradona…

And a lovely story that sums up his genius ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ztAhYyNFIs

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 25, 2020

Diego era un producto más del humilde barrio en el que nació. A #Maradona lo sobrepasó una fama temprana… En una personalidad adictiva como la suya, aquello fue mortal de necesidad.

Jorge Valdano. pic.twitter.com/dPvFdBl7Pu

— Olga Hirata 🇯🇵🇲🇽 (@OlgaHirata) November 25, 2020

Dusted off my copy of Maradona’s autobiography to recall how he described his second vs England – ‘the goal of my life’ pic.twitter.com/SMgnlEokMk

— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) November 25, 2020

The World of Futebol
shed tears today for the Love of the Great Legend #Maradona .. 🙏@bobmarley pic.twitter.com/HAAmRTulZF

— Rohan Marley (@Romarley) November 25, 2020

https://twitter.com/CuleDrax/status/1331714925731991552

Diego Maradona ends "Kevin Keegan's reign as the world's greatest footballer" Look-in Annual, 1981. RIP Diego Maradona. At the same time (in the same match!) the very best and the very worst of the beautiful game. pic.twitter.com/Wdv1MSamSt

— Carter Collectables (@CarterCollectab) November 25, 2020

💙❤ Always in our memory pic.twitter.com/FM2qPkekuI

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 25, 2020

https://twitter.com/CuleDrax/status/1331699674227630083