Diego Maradona's eternal fighting spirit carries on through Argentine UFC fighters
Diego Maradona was Argentina's national sports hero. The country's UFC fighters shared their thoughts on his passing with MMA Junkie.
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Diego Armando Maradona will forever be remembered as the complete package: the good, bad, all of the above.
Maradona, who became arguably the best player in football history in his time, died Wednesday in Buenos Aires due to a heart attack. He was 60. The Argentine government declared three days of national mourning following the passing of the national hero.
“El Pibe de Oro” (“The Golden Kid”) captained Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and brought pride to southern Italy by turning Napoli into a club football giant – winning multiple national and international titles with “Gli Azzurri.” Maradona also became one of two joint winners of the “FIFA Player of the 20th Century” award along side with Brazilian legend Pele.
But with all the heights and greatness, Maradona was also a troubled and controversial figure. The global phenomenon, who came from a shantytown on the southern outskirts of the Argentinian capital, struggled with cocaine and alcohol abuse and had links to the Italian mafia, among many shortcomings.
Whether he was loved or hated, there’s no denying his accomplishments, and above all, the pride he took in representing Argentina and the hope he brought to an entire nation.
MMA Junkie spoke with all three Argentine fighters on the UFC roster about Maradona’s passing and the influence he had on their athletic careers: Guido Cannetti, Laureano Starapoli, and Santiago Ponzinibbio.
People walk past of the face of Diego Maradona painted on the Plaza de Mayo in front of the presidential palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. The Argentine soccer great who led his country to the 1986 World Cup died Wednesday at the age of 60. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) ORG XMIT: XRM188