Maradona dies aged 60: tributes and reaction – latest updates | Football

A minute’s silence was held for Maradona ahead of Manchester City’s match at Olympiakos.

A gallery to show just how exalted Maradona was.

Cristiano Ronaldo has paid social media tribute.

Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best ever. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled. Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten.

The Hand of God recalled by the man himself.

The former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has also paid tribute on Twitter: “Diego Armando Maradona was a football giant, from Argentina and all over the world, a talent and a unique personality. His genius and passion on the pitch, his intensity in life and his commitment to Latin American sovereignty marked our time. On the pitch, he was one of the greatest opponents, perhaps the greatest, that the Brazilian team has faced. Outside of sporting rivalry, he was a great friend of Brazil. I can only thank you for your solidarity with the people’s fight and with the Brazilian people. Maradona will never be forgotten.”

“Today is a bad day, a very sad day for all Argentines,” said Argentina president Alberto Fernández in a TV interview. “I doubt that we will ever see another player like Maradona. The best thing about Diego is that he was an absolutely genuine man, he was not a fake man, he was a genuine man who expressed everything with the force with which he played football, he defended what he wanted, mistreated what
he hated. That was Maradona in his purest state.”

Argentina has declared three days of national mourning starting today,
said a statement from Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández.
“You took us to the highest of the world. You made us immensely happy. You were the greatest of all. Thanks for having existed, Diego. We will miss you all our lives,” said Argentina’s president Alberto Fernández in a tweet.

In Argentina, newscasters are in tears reporting Maradona’s death.
“Part of our childhood has died,” said a sobbing newscaster barely
able to get the words out on the TV news channel C5N. “I thought he
could never die,” said another.

Nine ambulances arrived to try and revive Maradona after he was found lifeless, apparently from a heart attack, shortly before midday at a rented home in a gated community in the suburb of Tigre, north of Buenos Aires. Maradona was recovering from brain surgery on 3 November. Although the operation had been successful, Maradona was reported to be suffering from abstinence from his alcohol habit.

Johan Cruyff, another all-time great, and a fellow Barcelona alumni, has paid tribute, despite himself dying in 2016. The Twitter account is run by his foundation.

Pele, Maradona’s only competitor to be the 20th century’s greatest player, has also paid tribute. The pair had a testy relationship, but eventually made their peace with each other.

What sad news. I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend. There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to family members. One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky.

A bulkier, mulleted Maradona graced Sevilla for only a short time during the 1992-93 season.

Here’s Jonathan Wilson’s tribute to Maradona.

This clip, watched millions of times over, captures the vitality of Maradona the player showed. Football came easier to him than just about anyone. Live is life indeed.

Maradona’s teammate at the 1982 World Cup, Mario Kempes, was the player who inspired Argentina to the 1978 World Cup, which a teenage Maradona was disappointed to have missed out on.

Diego Armando Maradona has left us the day of Argentine soccer, and through this medium I want to send my most heartfelt words of condolences to all his family and friends. Fly high Diego, RIP.

Some details on his death from our international desk.

Maradona died shortly before midday at a rented home in the San Andrés gated community in the suburb of Benavidez, north of Buenos Aires, according to press reports in Argentina. He is said to have died from a heart attack, while recovering at his home from a brain operation on 3 November. Although the operation had been successful, Maradona was reported to be suffering from abstinence from his alcohol habit.

He wasn’t just an idol in Argentina. Napoli saw the best years of his playing career.

Here’s your chance to share your view of the great man.

Maradona coached Argentina at the 2010 World Cup. They were great fun to watch, and ultimately fell apart at the hands of Germany in the quarter-finals, but he was even better to watch on the sidelines.

Ossie Ardiles, a friend and teammate of Maradona with the Argentina national team, has paid this pair of tributes.

In England, Gary Lineker has led the tributes. He and Maradona are inextricably linked by that game at the 1986 World Cup.

Diego Maradona, perhaps the 20th century’s greatest footballer, has died. A cardiac arrest is reported in Argentina to be the cause of death. He had lately been ill with a brain haemorrhage to follow many years of ill health. Nobody has burned brighter as a footballer, and very few have crashed down so like he did. The downfall, all 34 years of it, will be picked over piece by piece, but remember him this way, and in the words of BBC radio commentator Bryon Butler as he sauntered through England’s defence at the 1986 World Cup to score his second goal.

Maradona, turns like a little eel, he comes away from trouble, little squat man … comes inside [Terry] Butcher and leaves him for dead, outside [Terry] Fenwick and leaves him for dead, and puts the ball away … and that is why Maradona is the greatest player in the world.