In the pre-match of the Argentine National Team much was said about what could be the first tribute in an official match of the albiceleste since Diego Armando Maradona died on November 25. Between the discussion with FIFA over a possible suspension for wearing a special shirt and the AFA’s rejection of this position, Santiago del Estero prearó his. As seen in several states of the world, on the access roads to the Marde de Ciudades a bronze sculpture of five meters high was mounted on the “10”, in what represents the structure of this largest material in the world in its tribute, which was inaugurated in the previous one.
The five-meter statue of Diego Maradona. Photo: Reuters
With the presence of the local governor, Gerardo Zamora, and the president of the AFA, Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, could not miss the players of the local team, led by Lionel Messi, who came down from their microphones to be present at the revelation and dedicate a moment in honor of Maradona.
Messi, Tapia and Zamora next to maradona’s statue. Photo: Reuters
In the case of the captain, heir of the 10 on his back, he joined with Tapia and Zamora to present the shirt that the players will wear on the field of play, carrying the name “Maradona” on the back and a photo of Diego on his chest, in his beginnings with the colors of the National Team.
The work was made by the sculptor Carlos Benavidez who represented Diego in the image of the World Cup in Mexico 1986, where he touched the glory and conquered the second championship for Argentina, in addition to posing the ball near his mythical left-hander, with which he won and conquered the whole world.
