Maradona dead: updates, latest news and reactions, today
Diego Maradona: reaction to his death
Maradona in words
Scroll through our selection of articles that cover various aspects of the man who was Diego Maradona, what happened to him, and what those close to him thought of him.
Match officials across Argentina don the 'Albiceleste shirt'
As the fifth round of the now titled Copa Diego Armando Maradona got underway in Argentina, all match officials wore the national shirt with No. 10 ahead of each game as a tribute to the star who passed away earlier this week.
PSG say 'adios' to Maradona
The PSG squad took to the pitch at the Parc des Princes wearing special Maradona tribute t-shirts with the stadium decked out with 'farewell Maradona' banners
Gimnasia to wear special Diego shirt vs Velez
Diego Maradona was head coach of Gimnasia LP when he passed away earlier this week. 'El Lobo' will play their first game since his passing against Velez Sarsfield later tonight with a special logo depicting the famous No. 10 on the front of the Gimnasia shirt.
Minutes' silence observed at Valdebebas
Both Real Madrid and Deportivo Alavés players observed a minutes' silence in the memory of Diego Maradona ahead of the LaLiga clash in the Spanish capital.
The Copa de la Liga Argentina to be re-named Copa Diego Armando Maradona
As a tribute to the famous No. 10 the Argentine la Liga Profesional de Fútbol decided to change the name of the Copa Liga Profesional to the new Copa Diego Armando Maradona.
Juve and Benevento halt game to pay tribute to Napoli great
The players and staff of Benevento and Juventus paid tribute to Diego Maradona in the 10th minute of their Serie A clash.
Video: Klopp on Diego:
"Had we shown Maradona more respect when he was alive, we could have helped him"
Emotive Goodison Park round of applause
Both Carlo Ancelotti's Everton and Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United, offered a minutes applause for Maradona ahead of their Premier League clash in Liverpool.
Marseille and Nantes pay unique tribute to Maradona
Ahead of Saturday's Ligue 1 clash at the Veledrome, players from both teams formed an 'M' as a tribute to the Argentine.
Maradona immortalised in global street art
Full gallery of Maradona murals and graffiti from around the world
"A king will never be forgotten", reads a banner in Naples in tribute to Diego Armando Maradona. EFE/EPA/CIRO FUSCO
Koeman on Maradona: "I watched him warm-up instead of warming myself up!"
Koeman on playing against Maradona
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman spoke about Maradona in his press conference ahead of his side's meeting with Osasuna on Sunday afternoon.
"The best tribute to Maradona would be a strong display on the pitch tomorrow. I played against Maradona when he was at Sevilla, he did plenty in the warm-up. I spent more time watching his warm-up than actually warming myself up."
Brighton commemorate Maradona
Brighton and Liverpool players observe a minute's silence for Diego Maradona before their game at The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton. (Photo by Reuters)
Football fans in Bogota Colombia have commemorated their hero by having his face shaved in thier hair...
Ibrahimovic: "Maradona is more than football"
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has spoken to Sky Sports Italia about the Argentina legend:
"Maradona is more than football. We must remember him for what he did as a footballer and, in my opinion, he will be remembered forever.
"When you see number 10, who do you think about? 'Maradona.'"
Jorghino recalls first meeting with Maradona
Chelsea's Jorginho looks back on the first time he met Maradona, "something I will never forget".
The Italian international played in Napoli, Maradona's adopted home, for four seasons before joining Chelsea for €50 million in 2018.
India loves Maradona
Yet another iconic image of the Argetina great, this time soaking up the adoration in Kolkata, India...
PSG plans to commemorate Maradona
France-based football journalist Jonathan Johnson gives an update on PSG's plans to commemorate Maradona ahead of their Ligue 1 game against Bordeaux at Parc des Princes...
All Blacks lay down Maradona jersey before Haka
New Zealand are currently playing Argentina in the Tri-Nations rugby championship. And just before the All Blacks did the famous pre-match Haka war dance, they laid down the famous black jersey adorned with 'Maradona 10'.
The homage to the Argentine hero was greatly appreciated by the fans at the Newcastle International Sports Centre in Newcastle, Australia. Having lost to Argentina for the first time ever two weeks ago, NZ went on to beat The Pumas 38-0 this time round.
Maradona was a big fan of The Pumas and often went to games. He was famously captured celebrating with the players and doing keepie-uppies in the dressing room after their win against Tonga in the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
The world stops for Diego
The biggest news in world football this week has been the death of Diego Armando Maradona in his home in Tigre, Argentina, at the age of 60.
The news has been on the cover of the majority of newspapers worldwide. In this particular tweet from Reuters Institute, the Argentine legend is on 144 front pages from around the world.
Maradona's Newell's debut
When Diego Maradona made his debut for Argentine club Newell's Old Boys, the club took out a 6-year-old boy at half-time to put on a show for the fans. That boy was Lionel Messi, who played for the Rosario side before making his way to Spain to join FC Barcelona.
Argentina says goodbye to Diego Maradona
There has been an outpouring of emotion in Argentina over recent days after iconic footballer and national hero, Diego Maradona, passed away. Fans took to the streets to pay their respects, and give their thoughts on the man who dragged his nation to World Cup glory in 1986.
Tribute paid to a giant of the game
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world but tonight its 800m exterior was lit up to display a tribute to Diego Maradona. The sight was snapped by a Portuguese football enthusiast earlier this evening.
Iconic Maradona jersey could fetch $2 million
The shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his famous "Hand Of God" goal against England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico could be available for $2 million following the Argentine's death on Wednesday, says an American sports memorabilia expert.
The shirt is owned by former England player Steve Hodge, who got it from Maradona after the match in which his attempted back pass led to the controversial goal that helped dump England out of the tournament which Argentina went on to win in Mexico.
"I was walking down the tunnel and Maradona was coming in the opposite direction. I just tugged my shirt and we swapped there and then," Hodge, who had been delayed on leaving the pitch doing a TV interview, told British media.
The shirt is currently on display at England's National Football Museum in Manchester.
"It's very difficult to gauge (the value) with the "Hand Of God" jersey, but I know that the owner was looking for a $2 million private sale," David Amerman of Goldin Auction in New Jersey told Reuters. "It certainly could be a possibility, the values have jumped quite a bit in soccer."
[Reuters]
French teams form M in honour of Maradona
Players, manager and clubs from all around the world are expected to pay their respects to Diego Maradona this weekend and in France Rennes and Strasbourg formed a pre-game tribute to the Argentine legend. The Ligue 1 match finished 1-1.
Maradona in Mexico
With the obvious focus on Maradona's playing days, much of his career as a manager has been overlooked but the Netflix documentary dealing with his time as coach of Dorados de Sinaloa in the Mexican second tier is a fascinating insight to the man.
A minutes silence to honour Maradona was held before kick-off at tonight's CAF Champions League final in Cairo as city giants Zamalek SC and Al Ahly went head-to-head with the Red Devils of Ahly winning out 2-1 in a dramatic final.
Maradona's 1986 stats
The common perception of Argentina's 1986 World Cup triumph is that Diego Maradona was a one-man team and it's fairly hard to argue with that when presented with this.
Maradona's assistant resigns as Gimnasia coach
The Argentine club coached by Diego Maradona at the time of his death faced another blow on Friday as the star’s backroom staff resigned en masse.
“It is a decision we comprehend and shows the humanity of the group that worked so well with Diego Maradona,” Gimnasia y Esgrima said in a statement.
Assistant coach Sebastian Méndez had led the club since Maradona entered hospital for brain surgery the first week of November and was expected to continue in place of the star, who died on Wednesday from a heart attack.
Gimnasia are scheduled to return to action on Saturday against Vélez Sarsfield although the players have appealed for the match to be postponed.
The unheralded side are currently third in their four-team group in Argentina's ongoing domestic competition, with five points from four games.
Maradona's death casts long shadow around Argentina's Boca Juniors stadium
In the working class Buenos Aires district of La Boca, the death of Diego Maradona has cast a long shadow stretching out from the stadium of Boca Juniors where he played in his youth and returned to in his later years.
Maradona was buried on Thursday amid fanfare and high emotion after his death aged 60 from a heart attack this week, laying to rest one of the world's greatest soccer stars.
"Diego died and everything changed," said Maria Eugenia Toledo, 30, who works near the stadium.
"I have seen many people cry who I had never seen cry before," she said, after taking her 5-year-old son to a makeshift memorial set up at the blue-yellow soccer arena.
Daniel Hernan Lopez, a 41-year-old electrician who was taking photos in front of the stadium, where fans left candles, flags, flowers and posters, said it was hard to know "how to live on without the greatest person in the world."
"The important thing is what Diego did, bringing us the Cup," he added. "We must be grateful for that alone."
Maradona, who led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, had battled health problems, including obesity and drug addiction throughout his life. Weeks ago he underwent head surgery for a subdural hematoma.
"He had already been suffering a lot, with many personal and health problems," said Wilbert Quispe, a 37-year-old tour guide. "I hope he is where he needs to be, he is happy and calm. I hope he found the peace that he was looking for."
(Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP)
Maradona and the hand of God
Viewers in the UK will have a chance this evening to watch Gary Lineker's 2006 documentary with Diego Maradona, when the hand of God gets a good going over of course.
Clashes in Buenos Aires
Things are getting out of hand outside the presidential palace in the Argentinean capital where police and fans have been involved in altercations.
Before a friendly between Sevilla and Lazio, the England midfielder told the Argentina legend he wasn't entirely sober. Maradona responded: "Me neither."
Boca remember
The emotions were clear this morning as Boca Juniors reflected on the loss of a footballing legend ahead of their training session.
“The biggest mistake of all was taking drugs.
"This one action saddened and hurt many people especially my wife and my daughters.”
England vs Maradona
Much has been made about the front pages of some English tabloid newspapers following the death of the Argentine, with a focus on the infamous 'Hand of God'.
This annoyed some, others were disgusted by it, and then there were those that looked to point out the uglier tactics employed by the English players to stop the genius, illegal actions that didn't get quite as much attention as the handball.
Barça remember
Barcelona players held a moment's silence in remembrance of Diego Maradona ahead of their training session today.
It was an emotional moment for Argentine captain Lionel Messi. Barça face Osasuna this Sunday...
Hernan Crespo reduced to tears on ESPN
Hernan Crespo was reduced to tears when paying an emotional tribute to Diego Maradona - as a boyhood hero of the late Argentina World Cup winner called for an airport to be named after the superstar.
Former Argentina striker Crespo, now coach of Argentinian top flight club Defensa y Justicia, spoke of Maradona’s passing on the night his team played out a 1-1 draw with Vasco da Gama in the Copa Sudamericana.
He told ESPN: "What Diego generated in me as a child, a teenager and after I grew up, as a professional ... he has a lot to do with all of this.
"These have been two very difficult days. It is very difficult to train, talk to the boys, find words. We will try to honour him in the best way, which is by playing soccer, respecting his spirit of freedom, fun and a lot of commitment to where he is. We will try to do that.
"Everyone has their own things, their experiences. I am from the golden generation. I lived it, dreamed it and knew it. I am grateful to life for that."
Crespo's voice was full of emotion as he added: "The pain that I have in my soul cannot be explained." (Perform)
Funeral home worker fired after sharing photo of Maradona's body
A funeral home worker in Argentina has been fired after he captured and shared a photos of Diego Maradona on his deathbed.
The photo has caused outrage in Argentina, particularly among his circle of family and close friends, including lawyer Matias Morla.
"In light of the image of Diego on his deathbed that has gone viral, I am going to personally take care of finding the scoundrel who took that photograph," tweeted Morla.
Mourinho on Maradona: "The world will never forget him"
José on Diego
Mourinho said he knew Diego, "that was the guy, the one I miss", while "Maradona is the one everybody knows" and the one "the world will never forget".
Mourinho said he had made sure his son knows a lot about the Argentinean number 10, although he never got to see him play, "just like my father did with me and Di Stefano."
Watch and listen below
Jorge Valdano's moving farewell
Former Real Madrid player and Agentina team mate to Maradona, Jorge Valdano, has written an moving and eloquent piece for the Guardian. Valdano was a member of the Argentina team that lifted the World Cup in 1986 thanks to the mesmorizing exploits of the number 10:
"Those who screw up their faces sneering as they contemplate the latest incarnation of Maradona, the one who had difficulties walking, struggled to talk, embraced [the Venezuela president Nicolás] Maduro and did whatever he felt like, would be better off abandoning this farewell which embraces the genius and absolves the man. They will not find a single reproach here because the footballer had no flaws and the man was a victim. Of whom? Of me or of you, for example, who at some moment must have eulogised him pitilessly.
"There is something perverse about a life that fulfils all your dreams and Diego suffered the generosity of fate like no other. The terrible, terminal journey from human to myth divided him in two: on the one side Diego; on the other Maradona. Fernando Signorini, his fitness coach, a sensitive, intelligent man who may well have known him better than anyone else, used to say: “I would follow Diego to the end of the earth; I wouldn’t follow Maradona to the corner.”
Global mourning
Watch the scenes as Chinese fans pay their respects at the Argentina embassy in Beijing...
'Tough to pull that shirt on', says Napoli's all-time leading scorer Mertens
Dries Mertens said it was "tough to pull that shirt on" after the Napoli player wore the famous number 10 shirt in honour of Diego Maradona prior to their Europa League win over Rijeka.
Argentina and Napoli great Maradona – arguably football's greatest ever player – died of natural causes at the age of 60 on Wednesday.
Napoli's first match since the passing of their most iconic star this week was played out to the noise of songs and fireworks despite the empty stands at the Stadio San Paolo, where Maradona guided the Italian team to unprecedented Scudetto success in 1987 and 1990.
Captain Lorenzo Insigne laid a wreath before kick-off on Thursday, while the Napoli team lined up in 'Maradona 10' shirts – a jersey that was retired long before Maradona's death. The World Cup winner's name was displayed around the border of the pitch in Naples.
Reflecting on the emotional night, which saw Napoli defeat Croatian visitors Rijeka 2-0, Mertens told Sky Sport Italia: "It was an awful moment for me, so I can only imagine how those who lived through his time at Napoli must have felt.
"He made such a big impact on this city and for everyone in the south of Italy.
"I want to be positive, and focus on my memories of a smiling man who loved football."
"It was tough to pull that shirt on," he said. "In some ways, it was always a dream, but not like this."
Funeral attendees
According to Télam, among those who attended Maradona's funeral were his brothers and sisters: Ana, Rita, Elsa and Raúl, his children: Dalma, Giannina, Jana and Diego Fernando, ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, ex-partner Verónica Ojeda, nephew Daniel Líopez Maradona.
There was also his former agent Guillermo Cóppola, the Italian ambassador for Argentina, Giuseppe Manzo and Buenos Aires Security Minister Sergio Berni.
Diego Maradona's final resting place
The Jardín de Bella Vista, where Diego Maradona will be laid to rest alongside his parents, is a private cemetery which is located about 40 kilometres from the centre of Buenos Aires.
It is where his parents are buried - his mother, Dalma Salvadora Franco, known as "Doña Tota" was interred there in 2011, and his father Don Diego Maradona, in 2015.
Napoli fans light up the San Paolo in memory of their idol
Stunning aerial image of San Paolo taken ahead of this evening's Europa League game between Napoli and HNK Rijeka.
LaLiga and Ligue 1 to hold pre-match tributes
The top divisions in Spain and France will hold tributes to Diego Maradona before each of this weekend's matches. All games in Spain's top two divisions in the coming matchday will be preceded by a minute's silence, competition organisers said in a statement. LaLiga said the pre-match tributes will convey condolences "to his family, friends and all the fans around the world who remember him".
Maradona spent two seasons with Barcelona, who face Osasuna at home on Saturday, before returning to LaLiga with Sevilla in 1992. At Camp Nou, flags were flown at half-mast on Thursday, the day on which the 1986 World Cup-winning star was being laid to rest in Argentina.
In France, the pre-game protocols for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 will undergo "exceptional" changes for this weekend as a mark of respect for Maradona. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said: "At this moment of great sadness for football, the LFP, the clubs and the UNFP (the French footballers' union) wanted to place this 12th matchday under the star of Diego Maradona."
Floral offering laid by shrine to Maradona outside the San Paolo
Lorenzo Insigne and Tommaso Starace did the honours on an emotional evening in Naples.
Post-Maradona: tributes and reaction
The football world shook at the news that Argentine legend Diego Maradona had died of a heart attack at his home in Buenos Aires.
Maradona, who recently underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain, had only celebrated his 60th birthday last month.
Considered as one of the greatest players the game has ever produced, but also so much more to the people of Argentina and others, the news of his death has resulted in a massive reaction from around the globe, and we want to share that with you.