Maradona dies aged 60: tributes and reaction – latest updates

My favourite image of Maradona is the one of him seemingly taking on the entire Belgium defence in the 1982 World Cup – and it is of course in this wonderful gallery of the great man’s life and times.

For further reading on that iconic photo from Spain 82 this piece by Jonny Weeks is essential reading:

The Hand of God recalled by the man himself.

“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.”

Johan Cruyff, another all-time great, and a fellow Barcelona alumnus, 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.

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.

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.