Irrespective of the result on the field, this World Cup is special for Argentina. This is Lionel Messi’s last World Cup and the first World Cup for Argentina after the death of Diego Maradona. Argentina’s biggest football player Maradona died two years ago on this day. Maradona, who holds the status of a god for Argentine football fans, has appeared in every World Cup since 1982. Sometimes as a player, sometimes as a coach and sometimes as an administrator.
Tributes were paid to Maradona in Argentina and Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup. “Diego is immortal,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the unveiling of a life-size statue of Maradona on Friday. He is still with us. No one else could do what this player who taught people to love football did, he said. Messi, playing in his fifth World Cup, told FIFA ahead of the tournament. Was that the absence of Maradona is strange and people’s madness on seeing him will not be seen this time. He said that he feels that Maradona is somewhere. Argentina won the 1986 World Cup under Maradona’s captaincy. In the same tournament, he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal against England, which is regarded as the greatest but most controversial goal in the history of the tournament.
