Diego Armando Maradona, the man, the genius who became a God with his football artistry, was always surrounded by controversies, but his fans still loved him for what he was on the field. After the news of his demise, The Morning Standard spoke to a few hardcore Maradona fans in Delhi on what he meant to them.
Sidharth Chatterjee, 27, PR Professional, Rohini
Given his ill health, his death was not much of a shock, but 60 is not an age to leave the world. What I loved about him is that he never cared about what people said and what the media wrote. I liked
him for his game and not the things he indulged in. Every person makes mistakes...but he was really good at his game. My favourite moment from his career is his Hand of God goal against England. He had dribbled past eight defenders to score a goal. I had his pictures in my room when I was a kid. I used to cut them out from newspapers and magazines. He lived life on his terms, this is a lesson I take from his life.
Priyanshu Pande, 35, Owner, Sports Marketing agency, Purple Patch Management Group, Pitampura
Being a football fan and hardcore Argentina team supporter, I follow a lot of news pages. When I saw the news posted by an Argentinian journalist, I couldn’t believe it as it wasn’t showing on any other publications’ website. Then I was shattered, because I became a football fan after I saw Maradona play. I have got 10 tattooed on my forearm. I was in Russia for the 2018 World Cup. Maradona was there, and I was in one of the stands he was in. Nizhny Novgorod is a no-tobacco stadium, but the guy was smoking a cigar. He was flamboyant and so was his game. He made you happy.
Vivek Sheel, 37, Media Professional, Noida
Though he died of cardiac arrest, drugs and his lifestyle, played their part and were the reasons for his downfall. But he will always be a legend and legends never die. I still remember watching his Hand of God goal against England in the 1986 World Cup match in Mexico. How can anyone forget that? He had a different kind of control over the ball. He always played by his own rules, always spoke his mind and took a clear stand on everything, and never did anything in a hidden manner. Today, the whole world is talking about him because of what he did on the pitch. A lesson I take from his life is live and enjoy every moment of your life.
Shaji Prabhakaran, 48, President, Delhi Football Association
I have devoted my life to football, and he is one of my inspirations. We were lucky to see Maradona in 1986, when all the matches were shown live in India for the first time. Football was at a low in India then, but Maradona’s performance sparked an interest in many youngsters. He was erratic, and his lifestyle surely was the reason behind his early demise. I have his biography which I had bought 15 years ago. I always wanted to shake hand with him, but it never happened, and I will always regrets that. His passion for the game is what every footballer should learn from him.
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