Argentina mourns Maradona: "God touched him and God called him back"

Moistness and sadness stick to your skin in Buenos Aires and, in this neighborhood square, kids do what you learn as soon as you know how to walk in Argentina: they play football.

"I am sad and unsettled, I thought that Maradona was never going to die", loose Lautaro, observing his 3-year-old son pushing a miniature ball with his foot.

In the center of the square, the sun that radiates the center of the Argentinian flag faded after the announcement of the death of the football icon, who died Wednesday, November 25 at the age of 60: immediately the three days of national mourning declared, the banners were lowered.

“I feel great anguish, something has happened to me.

He gave us so much joy ”, loose Lucca, who was far from being born when the“ Pibe de Oro ”,“ the golden kid ”, won the World Cup in Argentina in 1986.

"We're never going to see such talent again"

At 16, this teenager who plays in a local professional club was trained by drinking all the videos retracing the actions of the legend.

"It's magic, no one played like him at the time."

Around the corner, a leaden screed falls on this grill restaurant which is usually teeming with people at lunchtime.

Customers stunned to watch the television screen confirming the death of their idol.

"I am 50 years old and I went through life with him, footballistically, it was the maximum, we will never see such a talent again", sighs Javier, whose throat is tightened quickly.

"I am sad, very sad, there is no noise in the street and I have no words."

Right behind him.

Ruben, 45, is flabbergasted by the images which show the legend on the edge of the pitch of Gimnasia, his last club, which he joined as a coach.

After the hospitalization of his idol this month, he still believed in the recovery of Diego who had just turned 60 and had already returned from everything.

“This year has been catastrophic, my father died of coronavirus, my mother died of a heart attack, like Diego.

And now Diego, Diego… ”stumbles the forty-something with sorrow.

“This news makes me very sad, I am anxious, very anxious.

God had touched him and God called him back, ”breathes Juan, his voice broken in reference to the legend's nickname, D10S, contraction of“ God ”and his jersey of“ number 10 ”.

“He will be missed, I loved him, because he came from below and I too come from below”, continues this septuagenarian.

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"Footballistically, he is a real leader, I have admiration but, humanly, I do not agree, he was not someone loyal", admits Quinney, 16, echoing the voices of Argentines who adulate the player but condemn the man for his excesses and family setbacks.

"It is precisely because he was full of contradictions, both humble and boastful, that he represented our country well", considers Julia very saddened by the death of the man she applauds for having regularly defended the people.