Lionel Messi and his Argentina team-mates unveil new statue of Diego Maradona and play with his photo on their shirts in World Cup qualifier with Chile as they take to the field for the first time since legend’s death
Diego Maradona was honoured by the Argentina football team as a statue of the legend was unveiled outside the new Madre de Ciudades Stadium in Santiago del Estero.
Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier against Chile was the first time Argentina have played since Maradona died on November 25 last year.
Members of the team gathered around to witness the official unveiling of the statue, which shows Maradona stood with hands planted on hips and with a ball at his feet.
A new statue of Diego Maradona was unveiled prior to Argentina’s match against Chile
The Argentina players stood and watched the unveiling in Santiago del Estero on Thursday
Lionel Messi and Co took to the field with pictures of Maradona on the front of their shirts
The players also wore shirts featuring a photograph of Maradona with the words ‘1960-∞’ to reflect his eternal legacy in the country.
He died from heart failure at the age of 60 late last year and an investigation into the circumstances of his death concluded his medical team acted in an ‘inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner.’
Maradona, who battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years, underwent brain surgery in November not long before his death.
The investigation found the 1986 World Cup winner was left in ‘agony’ for at least 12 hours and the care he received in his final hours was ‘inadequate and incomplete.’
Argentina could only draw 1-1 with Chile, with former Arsenal and Manchester United player Alexis Sanchez cancelling out Lionel Messi’s penalty opener.
The statue of Maradona is outside the new 30,000-seater Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades
It was the first time Argentina had played since Maradona died aged 60 back in November
Lionel Messi with Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia at the unveiling ceremony
An inquest into Maradona’s death said that he received ‘inadequate medical care’
Argentine football icon, who won the World Cup in 1986, died on November 25
They do remain on course to reach Qatar 2022, however, sitting second behind Brazil in the South American qualification group with 11 points from their first five games. Argentina play away to Colombia on Tuesday.
Messi said afterwards he could feel Maradona watching over them during the match.
‘It was a very important match being the first without Diego Maradona,’ he said. ‘We know what the national team meant to him, and we know that he was present.’
The 30,000-capacity Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades was inaugurated back in March when it hosted the delayed 2019 Supercopa Argentina, with River Plate beating Racing Club 5-0.
The venue had been due to host games at the Copa America, which starts this month, but the tournament has been switched to Brazil with just 13 days’ notice because of rising Covid-19 rates in Argentina.
A Lionel Messi penalty was not enough for Argentina as they drew 1-1 against Chile
Messi went close with two free kicks – one hitting the post – and also missed a late chance