マラドーナ氏に追悼相次ぐ　ペレ氏「天上で一緒にサッカーを」

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】サッカー元アルゼンチン代表のレジェンド、ディエゴ・マラドーナ氏の死去が25日に発表されたことを受け、世界のサッカー界から追悼の声が相次いでいる。元ブラジル代表のペレ氏は「いつか天上で一緒にサッカーができることを願う」とコメントした。（写真はサッカーの元ブラジル代表ペレ氏〈右〉と元アルゼンチン代表のディエゴ・マラドーナ氏。資料写真）
　ペレ氏はインスタグラムに、１９８６年にＷ杯のトロフィーを掲げるマラドーナ氏の写真を投稿し、「きょう悲しいニュースがあった。私は親愛なる友を失い、世界はレジェンドを失った。言いたいことはもっとあるが、ひとまず、神が彼の家族に力を与えてくれますように。いつか天上で一緒にサッカーができることを願う」と述べた。
　元フランス代表のミシェル・プラティニ氏は仏ＲＴＬラジオに対し、「私たちの過去の一部が去った」と言明。ブラジル代表のネイマールは、少年時代に当時現役のマラドーナ氏と共に写った写真をツイッターに投稿し、「安らかに眠れ、サッカー界のレジェンド」と書き込んだ。
　アルゼンチン代表のリオネル・メッシも、マラドーナ氏と一緒に写った写真をソーシャルメディアに投稿し、「アルゼンチン人全員、そしてサッカーにとってとても悲しい日だ」と表明。「彼は私たちの元を去るが、いなくなりはしない。彼は永遠だから」とコメントした。
　アルゼンチン代表チームはツイッターへの投稿で、Ｗ杯のトロフィーを持ったマラドーナ氏の写真を添えて「あなたは世界のサッカー界全員の心に永遠に残る」と追悼。
　各国の元所属クラブからも追悼メッセージが相次ぎ、イタリア・ナポリはツイッターに「ずっと私たちの心の中に。チャオ、ディエゴ」と投稿。アルゼンチンのボカ・ジュニアーズは「永遠の感謝。永遠のディエゴ」と書き込んだ。
　同じく元所属クラブのスペイン・ＦＣバルセロナは「ディエゴ、いろいろとありがとう。ＦＣバルセロナは、私たちチームの選手（１９８２～８４年）で、世界のサッカー界のアイコンであるディエゴ・アルマンド・マラドーナの死に心からの追悼の意を表する」と表明した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/11/26-10:09）

Brazilian great Pele led global tributes to Diego Maradona, whose death was announced on Wednesday, saying one day they would play soccer together in the sky.
Renowned for inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, Maradona was most loved at club level for his spells with Boca Juniors in his homeland and Napoli in Italy, where he won the club's only two Serie A titles.
Maradona is remembered for his masterly skill with the ball, but he was also famous for his frequent lack of control on and off the field.
He struggled with addiction, notably to cocaine, and with his weight, in contrast to the more clean-cut image of three-time World Cup winner Pele.
Sad news today. I have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a legend, Pele wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of Maradona hoisting the World Cup trophy in 1986.
There is much more to say, but for now may God give his family strength. One day, I hope, we will play soccer together in the sky.
The pinnacle of Maradona's playing career came in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City, where his two iconic goals, which reflected his larger-than-life character, condemned England to a 2-1 defeat.
For the first he punched the ball into the net for a goal he named the Hand of God, while for the second he showed incredible skill by dancing round the England team from inside his own half.
By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time, said Gary Lineker, who scored England's goal in that match.
After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he'll finally find some comfort in the hands of God. #RipDiego.
Maradona went on to have a far less successful coaching career, most notably leading Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, where a side containing Lionel Messi exited at the quarter-finals in a crushing 4-0 defeat to Germany.
- Messi tribute -
Messi has enjoyed even greater collective and individual accolades at club level for Barcelona than Maradona, but has failed to match his success with the national team.
It is a very sad day for all Argentines and football, said Messi on social media alongside photos of him with Maradona. He leaves us but he does not go because he is eternal.
I am left with many of the nice moments we shared and I want to send my condolences to all his family and friends.
Shirts and flags with Maradona's name and face still adorn Napoli's San Paolo stadium on matchdays in memory of the part he played in the southern Italian club's most successful era.
The world awaits our words but there are no words to describe the pain we're going through. Now is the time to grieve, Napoli said on Twitter.
Maradona also played for Barcelona and Sevilla in Spain and Argentinos Juniors and Newell's Old Boys in Argentina.
Thank you for everything Diego. FC Barcelona expresses its deepest condolences regarding the death of Diego Armando Maradona, a player for our club (1982-84) and an icon of world football, Barcelona said in a statement.
Sevilla said: A hero for an entire country and for football itself. One of the greatest players to have graced the game and we were lucky enough to enjoy you at Sevilla FC. Diego Armando Maradona, forever eternal. Rest in peace.
A minute's silence will be held before all of Wednesday's Champions League matches.
Maradona proved an inspiration even to the current generation of football stars who were not old enough to see him play live.
Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius, tweeted five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
One of the best ever. An unparallelled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled.
Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten.
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