The death of Diego Maradona, considered by many as the greatest footballer in history, has seen an outpouring of emotion from Hispanics in Australia, a country that witnessed his talents during a crucial World Cup qualifier in 1993 between Argentina and the Socceroos.
a self-confessed leftist who inspired the creation of the Maradoniana religion and battled against drug and alcohol addiction, shocked many in Australia who woke up to the news on Thursday.
Former Socceroo Craig Foster led the tributes, telling SBS Spanish that he is "very sad like billions of people across the world" at the passing of "the great Diego".
Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Source: AAP
"Every Australian football fan of my vintage grew up with him and just have to love him," he says.
"Whist he was deeply flawed, and a lot of what he did off the field we can't support, it was the fact that he was flawed that made him so lovable, a genius. It's difficult to describe his genius.
"He was an inspiration. To watch him play, was to see an artist at work, recreating the game of football on the field."
Highlights:
- Diego Maradona's death saw mixed feelings in the Hispanic community in Australia. While some idolise him, others condemn him for his drug addiction or his political activism.
- Maradona played in Australia in 1993 during his country’s World Cup qualifier against the Socceroos.
- Many leftist presidents paid tribute to him. The Maradoniana Church will also pay homage to him in Argentina.
Foster says as a young player, he would emulate the World Cup winner by playing in Puma-branded boots.
"I was wearing Puma boots because Diego wore them. I was lacing them around my ankles because that's what Diego did, I didn't know how to do it, but that's the influence that people like Diego had on young players all around the world."
The tributes continued from other Hispanics in Australia through social media.
Diego Maradona holding the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 Source: AAP
“The saddest day in the world of the football community! A legend died! He fought every game with passion and courage. He fought a drug addiction with the same determination, but in the end, he was unsuccessful,” wrote former Victorian parliamentarian, Telmo Languiller, on Facebook.
“Millions of soccer lovers will miss him, including me. Rest in peace, Diego."
Venezuelan-born Canberra resident Frank Madrid called Maradona, “A gifted man with a troublesome soul”, while Chilean Alejandro Antonio Vargas Gutiérrez, who lives in Melbourne, thanked the ex-footballer for “All those goals that you gave us to enjoy”.
Australia witnessed Maradona in the flesh during a pivotal World Cup qualifying match in Sydney between Argentina and the Socceroos.
The match, played in October 1993 in front of 43,967 people at the Sydney Football Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw. The following qualifying leg saw an Argentinian victory and progression to football’s showpiece event.
Foster believes Australia was "lucky" to have had the opportunity to see the "Maradona caravan" in person.
Peruvian Marcello Ricalde-Fazzeti remembers the Sydney match fondly.
“I still remember when the Argentine team came to play with Australia. That day the airport was filled in such a way that according to the media, such a welcome had not happened since the arrival of The Beatles. Great Diego. The best thing my eyes saw in football. May he rest in peace,” he wrote on the SBS Spanish Facebook page.
Nobody could forget Maradona’s two goals against England during a quarter final clash at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, a tournament Argentina would eventually win.
The first goal and perhaps the most infamous ever scored was famously called the "hand of God", where Maradona used his fist to guide the ball past the English goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
His second goal of the same match is considered by many as the "goal of the century" as he took the ball from the half-way line and dribbled past a number of English players, including the goalkeeper, to slot the ball into an empty net.
Source: Getty Images
"Today Diego enters history. He made great plays and gave much joy to the Argentine people," Gabriela Salabert, a clinical psychologist of Argentine origin, told SBS Spanish.
Famed Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano described Maradona as “very controversial", the result of having grown up in the poorest neighbourhoods of Argentina.
"A dirty and sinful God, who, with his rebellion, stood against what he believed was badly managed power".
"[Maradona] never lost his awareness of class struggles", and was always generous, and despite being "irresponsible".
“He was always worshiped for being the most human of the gods" and was "a voice of a generation that went to free the Falklands war and for us, it will always be eternal."
But Maradona was also viewed as a contentious figure in Latin America. His drug addiction and his support for the leftist governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia generated controversy and led to condemnation from many in the Hispanic community of Australia, who have fled persecution in those countries.
“He played football well. But I cannot respect a drug addict and alcoholic man who supports the Chavista narco-communist dictatorship,” Noraima Castillo wrote on the SBS Spanish Facebook page.
A church for a "God"
The Maradoniana Church is a religion created by followers of their "God" Maradona.
It has called for a rally in his honour on Wednesday in Argentina at the Obelisk, a traditional meeting point for football celebrations in Buenos Aires.
"I can't speak now. I'm going to go to the Obelisk today," Guillermo Rodríguez said, a church fanatic who on October 30, celebrated Maradona's 60th birthday.
Supporters of former soccer player Diego Maradona gather at the door of the judicial morgue, in the town of San Fernando, Buenos Aires province Source: EFE
Maradona, the militant
Some leftist leaders of Latin America gave a heartfelt farewell to Maradona, who was a staunch friend and supporter of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales.
"Much sadness, the legend of soccer has left us, a brother and unconditional friend of Venezuela," Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro wrote on Twitter.
"Dear and irreverent 'Pelusa' (‘Hairy’), you will always be in my heart and in my thoughts. I have no words at this time to express what I feel. Goodbye, Pibe de América!"
In 2013, Maradona was invited several times to Caracas by the late President Hugo Chavez. Maradona considered the late Fidel Castro his “second father”.
