Across the globe, teams paid tribute to Diego Maradona on Saturday with moments of silence before European soccer games and a touching gesture from New Zealand's rugby team.
The death of the Argentine great was still being felt three days after he had a heart attack at the age of 60 outside Buenos Aires, where he had been recovering from a brain operation.
Manchester City and Burnley players and coaches stood and
“This week, we lost a true footballing great. Diego Maradona was everything football should be: expressive, exciting, attacking and free,” City manager Pep Guardiola said in the team's
“A unique, once-in-a-generation player who brought joy to so many people,” he added. “Football will never forget Diego.”
City and Burnley players warmed up to the song “Live is Life” by Austrian band Opus. That's the tune Maradona
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti struggled to hold his emotions together. He made the sign of the cross and kissed his finger after a tribute before their match against Leeds. Ancelotti played against Maradona during their time in Serie A and later went on to manage Napoli.
Maradona led Napoli to its only two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990 and is considered an icon in the southern city.
In Valencia, Spain, Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone was moved by the pre-match homage to Maradona, his former Argentina teammate.
“I believed it was important to say one final goodbye by applauding him,” Simeone said.
Tributes were ongoing across Serie A this weekend. The warmup song was being broadcast in Italian stadiums.
All Serie A players were taking the field wearing a black armband, and a minute’s silence was being observed before each kickoff, with players lined up around the center circle.
The Italian league is also holding a minute's silence, projecting an image of Maradona on stadium screens, and highlighting the message “Ciao Diego” on the stands — which, like most stadiums in Europe, are empty because of coronavirus restrictions.
At the 10th minute of each Italian match, an image of Maradona was being projected again, in honor of his jersey number.
Napoli hosts Roma on Sunday. Thousands of Napoli supporters made a pilgrimage to San Paolo Stadium on Thursday to light a candle, leave a scarf or a shirt and shed some tears in memory of their hero.
Across the Bundesliga, teams
At Union Berlin's home game, stadium announcer Christian Arbeit said in Spanish: “Hasta siempre compañero.”
Santos, the former club of Pele, changed the No. 10 shirt currently worn by Yeferson Soteldo so it bore Maradona's name on the back for the Brazilian championship game against Sport Recife.
The tributes weren't limited to soccer.
Before their rugby Tri Nations test against Argentina, New Zealand captain Sam Cane presented an All Blacks jersey with Maradona's name and number 10.
As the All Blacks lined up to perform their haka, Cane walked toward midfield and
“It was a gesture, a token, of paying our respects to an Argentine legend, a world legend in his field as well,” Cane said after the match, which New Zealand won 38-0.
Several Argentine players nodded in acknowledgment of the gesture.
“I’m really thankful for that," Pumas flanker Pablo Matera said. "Diego Maradona was obviously huge for Argentina, so I’m really thankful for that gesture from the All Blacks.
“He’s been a huge inspiration for all of us: Players, coaches, the people of Argentina."
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