Maradona died of a heart attack at 60.
With the entire world mourning the passing of the global football icon Diego Maradona, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has paid a rich tribute to Argentina's soccer legend.
Maradona – who is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, died of a heart attack at 60 on Wednesday (November 25) at his residence in Buenos Aires two weeks after being discharged from hospital following brain surgery.
Kohli said in a video post by BCCI on Twitter: “We have lost a genius and his void can never be filled. It's obviously a very sad day for football, it's very sad for sports in general because we have lost a genius. We have lost someone who has inspired people across generations and across walks of life, not just sports but so many people in their lives as well.”
The captain further added, “People are mesmerized watching him play and that's something which happens with very few and he was one of them. Pure genius with what he did and it's avoid that can't be filled. Some of the football greats have already said so and I totally agree with that.”
Kohli, who is himself a die-hard football fan and even co-owns the FC Goa team in the Indian Super League, said the 1986 World Cup-winning Argentina captain created an amazing aura around him and will be missed by the entire sports fraternity across the globe.
He signed off by saying, “I watched his documentary last year when we were there for the World Cup (in the United Kingdom) and it was amazing to see the aura and the persona around him and the stuff that he went through. Just pure genius of what he did and that's something that will be dearly remembered. He will be missed by everyone in the sports fraternity and football fraternity as well.”
(With PTI Inputs)