CELEBRITY
Maradona fans remember troubled soccer great a year after his death
Thousands of fans of soccer great Diego Maradona will pay tribute to the star on the one-year anniversary of his death, amid legal wrangles about how he died and allegations over past relationships that threaten to tarnish his legacy.
The Argentine world champion, known as ‘Pelusa’ for his once flowing mane and ‘D10S’ – a play on the word for ‘God’ in Spanish and his famous no. 10 jersey – died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60 due to cardiac arrest.
Born in a humble neighborhood on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona became an icon to many in Argentina and around the world. He was a cult hero in Napoli, Italy, where he helped drive an underdog team to domestic and European glory.
The player has been immortalized with murals and statues, as well as tattoos. Children – boys and girls – have been named after him.
“Diego made us feel so many things,” Ezequiel Rossi, a 34-year-old teacher in Argentina, told Reuters this week.
“It was wonderful, seeing this kid who started with nothing and suddenly had everything. He made us dream and imagine that we could also do great things.”
Maradona’s personal life was controversial, marked by excesses with drugs and alcohol, multiple children, and friendships with strong-men leaders, including Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Fidel Castro in Cuba.
This week a Cuban woman who had an affair with Maradona two decades ago, when she was 16 and he around 40, accused the star of “stealing her childhood” and on one occasion of raping her.
“I can’t justify what he did in many areas of his life,” said Alejandro Sterli, a 61-year-old shooting instructor. “That’s why I try to separate the player from the human being.”
Italian club Napoli, which he led to Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, will play three November games wearing shirts with black and white images of a young Maradona. Two of his other clubs, Barcelona and Boca Juniors, will compete in a ‘Maradona Cup.’
For many, Thursday will be a day of sadness.
“That day is the worst day of my life,” Dalma Maradona, one of his daughters, recently said on Instagram. “I feel that this day is not to honor or commemorate, much less celebrate.”
-Reuters
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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