By Jorge Burruchaga
Referee will blow the whistle, players will start fighting on the pitch and supporters will dance in the gallery. Everything will be there in Qatar. But one will be absent. People call him ‘God of Football’, few say ‘King’. Whatever it may be, the fact is for the first time in four-five decades the greatest football show on Earth will kick-off on Sunday in absence of Diego Armando Maradona.
The World of Football is going to miss Diego in this World Cup. For everything he was, for everything he gave to football, for what we still miss him, and personally, sometimes, believing that he didn’t die. Wherever he is, he will be watching the World Cup and pushing for Argentina.
In football, as in the dynamics of this life, he will always be remembered. People constantly make tributes to him, and I’m sure more on this anniversary, on November 25, during the World Cup. I think we’re still not used to being without him. Believing that he is still with us and realizing that he is not, is a great pain, because he ended up leaving very young.
The most beautiful memories I have of Maradona is seeing him arrive in the Federal District, Mexico. We trained at Club América. Seeing him train, how he motivated us. As captain, from that role assigned to him as our leader. He was a unique character that I met in my life. I remember, after a meal during the World Cup, we were 4 or 5 players talking together with him, and Maradona told us, that during the games, the rivals were going to grab him, to kick him, but that when I catch the ball, the rivals they weren’t going to be able to stop me. And those were messages that motivated us and made us give 100%, as we all did in that World Cup.
It was very difficult news, very hard. We all knew how Diego was physically, when he was coaching in Gimnasia de La Plata. He had trouble walking, but Diego got us used to seeing him defy death, dribble death. He had already had health problems in the past, and he came out well and healthy. And we all believed that this time, he was going to be like before. But not. I believe that, in life, we all have a destiny, a moment, and I believe that God wanted to take him at that moment, to join him with his father and his mother. He left at the age of 60, it was a blow that paralyzed the country
I think what stands out most about Diego is his personality. Personality to face very hard moments, on and off the pitch. Diego was unique, which transcended the footballer. That manifested and everyone saw it. But if there is something, which is what surprised me the most, it is his enormous character, his pride, when he put on the Argentina National Team jersey, his personality to defend it. That motivated us all.
1986 to 2022. Mexico to Qatar. First time World Cup in the winter, synthetic grass and lots of restrictions. It’s Diego Maradona to Leo Messi. Now, it’s the responsibility of Messi to repeat history, it’s the responsibility of Leo and his team to bring back the glory of the 1986 World Cup. As an Argentine I support Messi and his team. As a former player I support ‘football’ hoping we will enjoy good football in this World cup. (In association with Chivach Sports Management)
[Jorge Burruchaga, nicknamed Burru, is an Argentine association football coach and former professional football player. He played both as an attacking midfielder and forward and scored the winning goal for Argentina in the final of the 1986 FIFA World Cup]