Clareto Monsorate, Dubai

To say that Diego Maradona’s sudden death has left the entire world in a state of shock would be an understatement. One of the greatest-ever football players the world has ever seen, departed for his heavenly abode after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Buenos Aires.

Japan has seen this maverick of a footballer lift the FIFA World Youth Championship title in 1979 for his country Argentina.

Three years later he returned with club side Boca Juniors for a friendly against the Japanese national team. By then Maradona was the heart-throb of millions of fans and the Japanese were not ones to be left behind. They just went into a frenzy.

ブエノスアイレス郊外の自宅で心臓発作に見舞われた。数週間前に硬膜下血腫の緊急手術を受けていた。 pic.twitter.com/Oq1fcHRgIW

— ロイター (@ReutersJapan) November 26, 2020

According to Kyodo News, a lot of Japanese football players, who played against him in that friendly match, were mesmerized by what they saw.

“For the first time, I thought this player is better than me,” said midfielder Kazushi Kimura. “He was a special player for someone of my generation,” said the 62-year-old Kimura.

Defender Hisashi Kato also played in the game and described the left-footed playmaker as “from a different planet.”

“He did things without looking. He didn’t give us any clues and left us wondering how he could make the passes he did,” Kato recalls. “It was as if he had eyes all over his body.”

Yasuhiko Okudera, the first Japanese player to win the German Bundesliga title with Cologne in 1978, said Maradona’s “dribbles were unstoppable.”

While current Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has drawn comparisons with Maradona due to his resemblance in playing style and preferred foot, former Japan forward Hiromi Hara believes Maradona “had a bigger impact.”

“He was wild and a maverick. But that’s what drew us to him,” he said, recalling Maradona fearlessly taking on several opponents at once.

“Everyone was trying to copy the unique way he kept possession of the ball. Everyone wanted to be Maradona.”

Left-footed former Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura spent countless hours as a boy watching tapes of Maradona, aiming to emulate his dribbling and trademark free kicks.

“I still watch those videos sometimes. He was what I aspired to be. I’ll keep trying to get to his level for as long as I play soccer, even if I can only get a little bit closer,” said the 42-year-old midfielder, still going strong with Yokohama FC in the J-League top flight.

Japanese soccer icon Kazuyoshi Miura, the 53-year-old teammate of Nakamura, shared his condolences in a statement from Yokohama FC.

“Thanks for everything you did for football,” he said.

In the Arab world, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had a special place in Maradona’s heart.

Soon after lifting the 1986 World Cup trophy with Argentina, Maradona landed in Saudi Arabia to represent Al-Ahli in an exhibition game in commemoration of the club’s 50^th anniversary.

His presence inspired Al-Ahli to beat Brondby of Denmark 5-2. Maradona, himself scored two and played a ‘leg’, so to speak, in the other three goals. It sent a full house wild with delight.

There was a hiatus after that before he returned to the Arab world again. This time it was the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which later he often referred to as his second home.

“I am far from my country, but believe me, in Dubai I have found my second home,” he had once said at a press conference.

وداعاً أيها الأسطورة 🇦🇷👋#مارادونا #Maradona pic.twitter.com/rsFFO4Hg7m

— AlWasl SC (@AlWaslSC) November 25, 2020

During his tryst with UAE, Maradona coached Al Wasl and Fujairah. Such was his aura that thousands of spectators stormed the stadiums just to get a glimpse of him.

Normally, after a match, a press conference is held between the coach of the respective team and a few media people, but during Maradona’s time all protocols were broken as fans would throng the room with Argentina flags.

Such was his presence that it helped revive UAE football. The world now started to follow Maradona and that resulted in them getting to know about UAE football. That was a ‘masterstroke’ from UAEFA.

وداعا #مارادونا #maradona

😞 pic.twitter.com/j1OREFUeaS

— نادي الفجيرة (@fujairahclub) November 25, 2020

Unfortunately, as coach, the results didn’t go Maradona’s way and that made him realize that it is a different ‘ball game’ when you are ‘on’ the field making the ball talk, rather than ‘off’ it, just giving instructions.

Nonetheless UAE maintained its relationship with the star and appointed him as ‘Sporting Ambassador’.

رحل عن عالمنا أحد أعظم من لعبوا الكرة.. وداعاً دييغو #مارادونا #نادي_النصر pic.twitter.com/aaDWIze1qQ

— AL-NASR FC (@ALNasrSC) November 25, 2020

Maradona’s death has certainly left a void, but his footballing career, and his No. 10 jersey, will always be remembered.

Who can forget the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England which took Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title in Mexico?

Maradona also enjoyed a special rivalry with Brazilian legend Pele. And the debate as to ‘who is the greatest footballer’ will continue to remain unanswered.

But in a fitting tribute yesterday Pele was quoted as saying: “One day we’ll kick a ball together in the sky above.”

Adios, Diego Armando Maradona.