Maradona: Three days of mourning begin in Argentina

Today's football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo "could not even dream" of being admired as much as Diego Maradona was, says his former Argentina team-mate Ossie Ardiles.
Three days of national mourning have begun in Argentina after Maradona died on Wednesday at the age of 60.
His body will lie in state at the Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentina government, during that time.
"To be Diego Maradona was incredibly beautiful," Ardiles told the BBC.
"But on the other hand, it was not easy at all. Right from a really early age, he was subject to the press all the time. He didn't have a normal childhood, he never had normal teenage years.
"Everybody wanted to be with him, everybody wanted a piece of him, so it was incredibly difficult."
Maradona, who played for clubs including Barcelona and Napoli, was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, scoring the famous 'Hand of God' goal against England in the quarter-finals.
Former Tottenham midfielder Ardiles, who played alongside Maradona at the 1982 World Cup, said he was "a god" in Argentina, in Naples and all around the world.
"He will be remembered as a genius in football," he added. "You can see the extraordinary amount of interest that he generates.
"People like [Juventus and Portugal striker] Ronaldo, or people like [Barcelona and Argentina forward] Messi, they couldn't even dream of having this kind of admiration.
"That was the Maradona phenomenon - all the time."
A post-mortem examination was due to take place on Maradona's body later on Wednesday after he died at about midday local time at his home in Tigre, near Buenos Aires.
The former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager had successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November and was to be treated for alcohol dependency.
A minute's silence took place before Wednesday's Champions League matches and the same will happen before all other European fixtures this week.
Messi and Ronaldo were among current players to pay tribute, while Brazilian football great Pele said he hoped one day they would "play ball together in the sky".
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Maradona "made world football better".
"There was a banner in Argentina, one year ago, that I read that said: 'No matter what you have done with your life, Diego, it matters what you do for our lives,'" former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola added.
"It expresses perfectly what this guy gave us. The man of joy and pleasure and his commitment for world football."
Former Tottenham manager and Argentina defender Mauricio Pochettino said: "Broken with pain. Diego, you were my hero and friend. I was so fortunate to have shared football and life with you."
The Vatican said Pope Francis, an Argentine and a football fan, would be remembering Maradona in his prayers.
Report Fans mourn their heroIn Argentina, Wednesday's match between Sport Club Internacional and Maradona's former club Boca Juniors was postponed.
Fans flocked to La Bombonera, Boca Juniors' stadium in Buenos Aires, where many were in tears - despite, in the case of some, being too young to remember Maradona's playing days.
They also congregated in the San Andres neighbourhood, where Maradona lived, and to La Plata, where he most recently was manager of local club Gimnasia y Esgrima.
In the country's capital, "gracias Diego" replaced train information on digital metro signs, while fans sang La Mano De Dios (The Hand Of God) in city suburbs.
Thousands of miles away, they also gathered outside Napoli's San Paolo stadium, which was lit up in tribute to the man who scored 81 goals in 188 appearances for the Italian club.
Fireworks erupted in the sky as those below, clad in Maradona shirts and even Maradona face masks, chanted and wept.
Source: BBC
Trending Sports
GPL 2025/26: GFA announces media accreditation process open from Sept 15 to 18
22:03Man Utd have 'got worse' under Amorim - Rooney
21:47Edem Abgana appointed chairman of Elite U19 Championship
14:26Charles Osei Asibey re-elected Vice President of World Armwrestling Federation
10:52Kotoko coach sets group stage target in CAF Confederation Cup
10:31Villarreal boss backs Thomas Partey ahead of champions league clash with Spurs
10:07Unbeaten Tunisia join Morocco at 2026 World Cup
16:422026 FIFA WCQ: Otto Addo speaks post Ghana v Mali 1:0 victory
13:24Man City & Premier League end sponsor rules dispute
12:27KGL Group and Parliament unite to inspire Ghanaians through Democracy Cup
00:42