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Diego Maradona was a genius player and flawed hero whose death hit South Florida hard | Opinion

An outpouring of sorrow and tributes flowed from all corners of the world Wednesday as news of Diego Maradona’s death spread, for the Argentine soccer icon was not only among the best players of all time, but also a massive personality and tormented soul who transcended the sport.

The short, stocky product of a poor Buenos Aires suburb was a magician with the ball, had unbridled pride in his country and carried every team he played for on his back. He scored 258 goals during his career, most with his left foot, leaving defenders flummoxed.

He became a global star at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He was 26, at the peak of his career. And his infamous first goal against England in the quarterfinals went down as one of the most memorable moments in World Cup history. In the 51st minute, he tried to outleap England keeper Peter Shilton, arm outstretched and punched the ball into the net. The referee didn’t notice, and Maradona later credited the goal to “the hand of God.”

Four minutes later, he dribbled past five defenders and scored again.

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He was revered in Argentina after the World Cup, an example for all young kids taking up the sport.

Despite his success, fame and wealth, he battled many demons. His troubles off the field led to drug and alcohol addiction, financial feuds, depression, a 15-month ban from the sport and eventually health issues.

Nine ambulances arrived Wednesday at his rented home in the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigres, and paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive him. Maradona, who was recovering from brain surgery on Nov. 3, died of a heart attack.

Newscasters in Argentina reported the death with tears streaming down their faces.

The news hit especially hard in South Florida, which has a huge Argentine population and is known for its soccer passion.

Fernando Fiore, the Miami-based Argentine TV sports personality, was watching an Argentinean news program and saw the shocking headline. He was gutted. He had met Maradona on numerous occasions and recalled a story about winding up at the same late-night restaurant in Munich, Germany, during the 2006 World Cup.

Fiore was with 20 Univision colleagues. Maradona was at another table with his entourage. Fiore’s friends asked Fiore if he could get Maradona to take a photo with them. He sheepishly approached the superstar, made his request, and Maradona told Fiore to have his colleagues make a line and he took individual photos with each one.

“I will never forget that night for as long as I live,” Fiore said. “There have been many other players with great skills, but nobody like Maradona — his technique, his passion, his will, but also, for us Argentines, he always put Argentina before anything else, even before himself. He put all of us first, and we loved that attitude.”

When people debate whether Maradona or Messi is the better player, it often comes up that Maradona was more devoted to the light blue and white “Albiceleste” jersey while Messi is better known for his play in his FC Barcelona club shirt.

Maradona considered himself a champion of the common people, a disciple of Che Guevara and friend of Fidel Castro. He sought refuge in Cuba during his struggles with drugs and spent quite a bit of time there. His political views were controversial but did not keep fans from loving him.

Fiore said Maradona’s fans knew he was struggling with his health in recent years, and while his early death was not shocking, it was crushing.

“We always said sooner or later, Diego Maradona will lose the battle, and we kind of knew it would be sooner than we wanted it to be,” Fiore said. “Obviously, at 60 is a very early age. I just turned 60 a few months ago, so we are the same age. I would see Maradona and think: `I wish he would be in better shape, walking without suffering like he was the last years and everyone making jokes about the way he talks, him forgetting words. It was a sad ending.”

Inter Miami midfielder Federico Higuain, an Argentine whose brother, Gonzalo, also plays for the team, said: “For us, Argentinean people, especially for me, he was our inspiration. The best player ever. Nobody is like him. It’s a very difficult day for me, for football players because a legend is not with us anymore. He will be the No. 1 forever for me…I don’t care what he did in his life, I just care about him as a football player and I really love him.”

Higuain explained that as a boy, and even now, he tried to emulate Maradona: “Thanks to Internet, You Tube, movies about him, you can learn from him. He’s the best professor for us. He was an artist, not just a football player. There are a lot of good players, but not like Diego. You try to emulate him, but it’s impossible. He was very unique.”

Soccer TV commentator Ray Hudson, who played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, coached the Miami Fusion and is now in the booth for Inter Miami, agreed that Maradona was in a class by himself.

“We lost a gargantuan giant of football, the likes of which we will never see again,” Hudson said. “He personified alien-like football skill and his inspirational leadership dragged his team behind him. A cultural, almost religious icon at Boca, Barca, Napoli and for Argentina, he showed he was a human with flaws but that made his fans love him even more; I know it did with me. At a time when the world’s greatest game was played with true brutality, he bestrode it like a colossus.”

A three-day period of mourning was declared in Argentina. Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández said: “You took us to the highest of the world. You made us immensely happy. You were the greatest of all. Thanks for having existed, Diego. We will miss you all our lives.”

A moment of silence will be held at all Champions League matches this week. Wednesday’s Copa Libertadores game between Maradona’s former club Boca and Brazil’s Internacional was postponed for early December.

The mayor of Naples, Italy, Luigi De Magistris, proclaimed a day of mourning and the lights of the San Paolo stadium where Maradona starred for Napoli will stay on all night as a tribute.

De Magistris also proposed renaming the stadium in Maradona’s memory.

Even the Vatican, which houses Argentine Pope Francis, paid its respect. The Vatican News website posted a story on Maradona’s death, calling him “football’s poet.”

The tributes from the soccer world were endless.

Brazilian legend Pele: “Certainly, one day we’ll kick a ball together in the sky above.”

Argentine star Lionel Messi: “A very sad day for all Argentines and for football. He leaves us but does not leave, because Diego is eternal. I keep all the beautiful moments lived with him and I send my condolences to all his family and friends. RIP.”

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo: “Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best ever. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled. Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten.”

The Brazilian soccer federation, a rival of Argentina, said: “Football is in mourning. Diego Armando Maradona enchanted the world with his determination, irreverence and relationship with the ball and the pitch. A star who contributed to spread the passion of South Americans for football.”

Former England captain Gary Lineker, who faced Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, became a fan of the Argentine and was blown away by his juggling skills during an exhibition match at Wembley in 2009.

“I played for a Rest of the World side at Wembley, when I was at Barcelona, all the great players like (Michel) Platini on the pitch were all totally in awe of him,” Lineker said on BT Sport.

“The first thing he did in the dressing room was sit there in just a pair of shorts, juggling his socks on his left foot for about five minutes. Then he went out on the pitch and did something incredible, one of the most unbelievable things I have even seen on a football pitch.

“He juggled the ball all the way out to the centre circle, when he got there, still juggling, he went ‘bang’ and kicked the ball up as high as he could, then waited.

“It came down, he went ‘bang’ and did it again. He did it 13 times and the most he ever did was walk three paces to it. All of us were sitting there saying: ‘that is impossible’.”

The legendary tales of Maradona — on and off the field — will continue to be told in the days, months and years to come. Great players will come and go. Maradona was one of a kind.