Soccer: Tears flow as Maradona bids adios

Diego Maradona's Buenos Aires swansong was a soggy affair, writes JAN McKIRK.

There was no point in singing Don't Cry For Me, Argentina when 50,000 Argentine fans gathered in the Boca Juniors' Bombonera Stadium to weep and sob through the farewell match of their legendary player, Diego Armando Maradona.

Tears were flowing on the field and in the stands before and after the game, and down the chubby cheeks of the controversial Golden Boy, who shed nearly 20kg to come out of retirement for this emotional send-off.

He managed to fire off two goals to rapturous applause and his side triumphed 6-3.

A Buenos Aires rock group, the Paranoid Rats, melodramatically screeched out "I want Diego to play forever!" just before the familiar bowlegged figure appeared on the pitch.

He was flanked by both his daughters in team shirts, and his wife, Claudia, cheered from the sidelines.

Maradona led Argentina's national team against an All-Stars selection which included Frenchman Eric Cantona, Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov and the quirky Colombian goalkeeper, Rene Higuita.

Watching from a VIP box was Pele, the Brazilian superstar who has endured rancorous jibes from Argentina's most celebrated athlete, but showed up to honour him, along with the French star Michel Platini.

To prevent rabid Maradona fans from jeering their hero's rival, the organisers did not mention Pele by name or introduce him until the game had finished.

"He deserves a testimonial for all the happiness he has given football," Pele said graciously. "It's important to be present."

Maradona, 41, is recovering from knee surgery and had suffered a heart attack in January last year. He ended up limping throughout much of the second half, but he showed glimpses of his former greatness with precision passes that brought to mind the 1986 World Cup championship play.

The cocaine scandals that short-circuited his career four years ago, and the corpulent figure with a peroxided quiff who was packed off to a Cuban rehab centre in disgrace, seemed a lifetime ago. This was a last chance for fans to salute his magic left foot and that hand of God.

"Apart from the birth of my daughters, this is the most moving moment of my life," Maradona sobbed to reporters. "When I saw the explosive atmosphere here, I felt I could touch the heavens with my hands."

Maradona whipped off his jersey in the last 20 minutes to reveal his old pale blue Boca Juniors shirt - No 10 - underneath and the crowd roared approval.

Fanatical supporters couldn't contain themselves: skyrockets exploded overhead and shrill chants of "Maradoo, Maradoo, Maradoo" echoed around the stadium.

Play was stopped while Maradona was hoisted on to the shoulders of all the players and carried for a couple of victory laps. There wasn't a dry eye anywhere.

After play was completed, Maradona attempted to make a farewell speech through his tears.

"Football is the most beautiful and healthiest sport in the world," he said, biting his quivering lip "This is incredible. Now the whole world can see ... the passion of the Argentine people and the passion for a No 10 who has made them smile on occasions.

"I have waited so long for this game and now it's over. ... I want to thank all the players who turned out today. I will take this homage to my grave."

It was a well-deserved festival of soccer for Maradona, who during a 23-year career played in 692 games and scored 352 goals in the Argentine, Spanish and Italian leagues.

He also led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986 and to the runner-up spot in 1990.

There was one sour note to the ultimate adios. Fifa officials scuttled a plan, drawn up by the players themselves, to retire Maradona's No 10 jersey as a lasting tribute to him.

Rules require next year's World Cup teams to number their players from one to 23 and Argentina would be forced to drop a man in order to carry out the honour.

- INDEPENDENT