"It's our past that is going away": Platini's tribute to Maradona

A tribute from one myth to another.

Since Wednesday evening and the announcement of the death of Diego Armando Maradona, Michel Platini reveals his memories, his joys, his sorrows and his nostalgia which surrounds the departure of the greatest player in the history of football.

“It's our past that goes away” with the death of legend Diego Maradona on Wednesday, he reacted to RT, he who was one of the rivals of the Argentinian in the 80s in the Championship Italian.

"I am very sad.

I am nostalgic for a time that was beautiful ... Cruyff, Di Stefano, Puskas left, full of great players who marked my youth.

Diego has marked my life, ”said the former N.10 of the Blues and Juventus, 65 years old.

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Diego Maradona and Pelé, present for the jubilee of Michel Platini at NancyPanoramic

Pained and eager to praise the memory of the Argentinian legend, Michel Platini continues.

“Diego Maradona will remain in the hearts of the Neapolitans, in the hearts of Argentines, and in the hearts of players and football fans around the world like a star, and for eternity,” he also said during of an evening of nostalgia. "I admired him, there was certainly rivalry too.

We could not both be at the top without being rivals, "continued Platini, who knew him when" he was 17 years old, "detailed the former UEFA leader at RTL's microphone.

“Diego did things differently from others.

He was stocky, strong on his legs, who made different technical gestures, who had great vivacity, who went into contact.

He was on top. ”

Tributes to Maradona in pictures

• In images, in pictures

It was in Italy that Platini, midfielder of Juventus between 1982 and 1987, crossed swords with Maradona, who played in Naples (1984-1991), in a rivalry that marked the decade.

The “Pibe de Oro” also won the first of his two Neapolitan titles during the last season of “Platoche”, in 1987. But Platini had won the scudetto the previous year.

Without hard feelings, the Argentinian took part in the Lorrain jubilee on his land in Nancy, in June 1988.

Platini also evoked the feeling that Maradona arouses in Argentina and Naples: “It is beyond what the Champs-Elysées can be in 1998 (for the World Cup for the Blues, editor's note).

Diego was the son of these peoples, of these emotions, so he took advantage of them, he abused them, he was badly surrounded, he did a lot of stupid things ... but he still has his great galloping against it. 'England in 1986.'

“Diego did things differently from others.

He was stocky, strong on his legs, who made different technical gestures, who had great vivacity, who went into contact.

He was above.

He was a scorer but he made exceptional technical gestures, ”he continued.

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