"You took us to the highest point in the world, and made us immensely happy. You were the greatest of all. Thank you for being you, Diego, we will miss you for the rest of our lives."
Pope Francis remembers soccer legend and fellow Argentine Diego Maradona with affection and is keeping him in his prayers, the Vatican said on Wednesday.
"The pope was informed about the death of Diego Maradona, he recalls the times he met him in these past years with affection, and he is remembering him in his prayers, as he did in the past days when he was informed about his condition," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
Naples on Wednesday bid farewell to its beloved Diego Maradona, who won the hearts of the southern Italian city by leading the club Napoli to its only two league titles in 1987 and 1990.
Hundreds of fans flooded into the streets of the city's Spanish Quarters, many of them lighting a candle beneath a huge mural of the Argentine who died of a heart attack aged 60.
Cristiano Ronaldo hailed an "unparalleled magician" whom he could call "friend" while arch rival Lionel Messi remembered an icon with an "eternal appeal" as the two modern day geniuses joined the world in mourning Diego Maradona's untimely death on Wednesday.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday expressed his grief over the death of Diego Maradona and said his fans around the world will miss the football legend.
"Deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Diego Armando Maradona. The Argentinian footballer was one of the greatest athletes of all time. Our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family and his fans around the world. We all will miss him, the beautiful game will miss him," Vijayan tweeted.
Former England striker Gary Lineker praised the lateDiegoMaradonaas "arguably the greatest of all time" on Wednesday, but could not resist a reference to the Argentine's infamous "Hand of God" goal at the 1986 World Cup.
Barcelona describedDiegoMaradonaas an "icon of world football" on Wednesday, after the Argentine died of a heart attack aged 60.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday condoled the passing away of football legendDiegoMaradona, saying he was a magician who showed people why football is called "the beautiful game".
The Goa government will install the life-size statue of late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona in the coastal belt of North district by early next year, a senior minister said on Wednesday.
Brazilian football great Pele mourned his fellow legendDiegoMaradonaafter the Argentine died Wednesday, saying he hoped they would "play together in the sky" one day.
European footballing great Michel Platini said "a bit of our past has gone" after the death ofDiegoMaradonaon Wednesday at the age of 60.
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