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Diego Maradona: Sports world pays tribute to soccer legend

Game-day tributes and commemorations for one of football's greatest-ever stars have taken place in stadiums around the world. Athletes paid their respects in a myriad of ways, albeit from stadiums without fans.

  • A mural of Maradona painted on a wall in Naples, Italy

    World mourns the loss of a legend

    On the first weekend following Diego Maradona's death, athletes from around the world paid tribute to football's legendary Number 10. The Argentine died on November 25 from a heart attack at the age of 60. The commemorations, which took place mostly in empty stadiums, lost none of their emotional poignancy.

  • A player from Bristol City FC wearing a black armband during their game against Reading

    Respect on the field

    The methods of remembering one of soccer's all-time greats varied from stadium to stadium. Teams from England's Premier League held a minute's applause while some also wore a black armband as a show of mourning. Manchester City and Burnley players clapped as they watched a video of Maradona's two famous goals which knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup.

  • French players holding a minute's silence as Maradona's face appears on a large screen

    Under Maradona's gaze

    Players from French top teams Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain held a minute's silence while standing in the formation of the letter "M." Both clubs also hung banners saying "Adios." The Argentine ambassador to France, Leonardo Constantino, unfurled his country's national flag from the Parc des Princes stadium.

  • Maradona's shirt on display in an empty German soccer stadium

    'Ciao Diego'

    Players held a minute's silence in Germany and other European countries, too — with Maradona's jersey on display during a Borussia Dortmund match. Maradona played for teams in Italy and Spain, notably Naples and Barcelona. Italian players also wore black armbands while stadiums projected Maradona's face on screens during the 10th minute of the game in recognition of his shirt number.

  • A cutout of Maradona appears in Ipswich Stadium among cut-outs of other fans

    'Hand of God'

    Maradona was among the cutout fans in the stands at Portman Road Stadium. He scored two goals against England in the 1982 World Cup in Mexico. One is famously known as the "Hand of God" after the Argentine's hand knocked the ball into the net — a foul that went unpenalized. The other went down as FIFA's goal of the century. The football star was beloved for his dominance and flair on the field.

  • New Zealand captain Sam Cane laying a shirt in the middle of the pitch with Maradona's name on it

    A loss felt beyond football

    The tributes weren't limited to football matches. Before their Tri-Nations game against Argentina, the New Zealand Rugby team laid an All Blacks shirt with Maradona's name and famous number 10 printed on it in the middle of the field. Argentine players nodded in recognition of the commemorative act.

  • Paris Saint-Germain player Kylian MBappe wearing a tshirt with Maradona's face

    A fitting farewell

    Kylian MBappe of Paris Saint-Germain donned a special T-shirt with the soccer legend's face and the words "Rest in peace" in Spanish. Sevilla football club in Spain appeared at their match on Saturday wearing reproductions of the shirts from the season when Maradona played there, with all the players sporting the number 10 during the minute's silence.


  • A mural of Maradona painted on a wall in Naples, Italy

    World mourns the loss of a legend

    On the first weekend following Diego Maradona's death, athletes from around the world paid tribute to football's legendary Number 10. The Argentine died on November 25 from a heart attack at the age of 60. The commemorations, which took place mostly in empty stadiums, lost none of their emotional poignancy.

  • A player from Bristol City FC wearing a black armband during their game against Reading

    Respect on the field

    The methods of remembering one of soccer's all-time greats varied from stadium to stadium. Teams from England's Premier League held a minute's applause while some also wore a black armband as a show of mourning. Manchester City and Burnley players clapped as they watched a video of Maradona's two famous goals which knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup.

  • French players holding a minute's silence as Maradona's face appears on a large screen

    Under Maradona's gaze

    Players from French top teams Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain held a minute's silence while standing in the formation of the letter "M." Both clubs also hung banners saying "Adios." The Argentine ambassador to France, Leonardo Constantino, unfurled his country's national flag from the Parc des Princes stadium.

  • Maradona's shirt on display in an empty German soccer stadium

    'Ciao Diego'

    Players held a minute's silence in Germany and other European countries, too — with Maradona's jersey on display during a Borussia Dortmund match. Maradona played for teams in Italy and Spain, notably Naples and Barcelona. Italian players also wore black armbands while stadiums projected Maradona's face on screens during the 10th minute of the game in recognition of his shirt number.

  • A cutout of Maradona appears in Ipswich Stadium among cut-outs of other fans

    'Hand of God'

    Maradona was among the cutout fans in the stands at Portman Road Stadium. He scored two goals against England in the 1982 World Cup in Mexico. One is famously known as the "Hand of God" after the Argentine's hand knocked the ball into the net — a foul that went unpenalized. The other went down as FIFA's goal of the century. The football star was beloved for his dominance and flair on the field.

  • New Zealand captain Sam Cane laying a shirt in the middle of the pitch with Maradona's name on it

    A loss felt beyond football

    The tributes weren't limited to football matches. Before their Tri-Nations game against Argentina, the New Zealand Rugby team laid an All Blacks shirt with Maradona's name and famous number 10 printed on it in the middle of the field. Argentine players nodded in recognition of the commemorative act.

  • Paris Saint-Germain player Kylian MBappe wearing a tshirt with Maradona's face

    A fitting farewell

    Kylian MBappe of Paris Saint-Germain donned a special T-shirt with the soccer legend's face and the words "Rest in peace" in Spanish. Sevilla football club in Spain appeared at their match on Saturday wearing reproductions of the shirts from the season when Maradona played there, with all the players sporting the number 10 during the minute's silence.


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