Tributes paid to Maradona before games

Across the world, teams paid tribute to Diego Maradona on Saturday with moments of silence before European soccer games and a touching gesture from New Zealand’s rugby team. The death of the Argentine great was still being felt three days after he had a heart attack at the age of 60 near Buenos Aires, where he had been recovering from a brain operation.

Manchester City and Burnley players and coaches stood and applauded as a video showed Maradona’s famous solo run and goal for Argentina against England in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup.

“This week, we lost a true footballing great. Diego Maradona was everything football should be: expressive, exciting, attacking and free,” City manager Pep Guardiola wrote in the team’s matchday program. “A unique, once-in-a-generation player who brought joy to so many people. Football will never forget Diego.”

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti struggled to hold his emotions together. He made the sign of the cross and kissed his finger after a tribute before their match against Leeds. Ancelotti played against Maradona in Italy’s Serie A and later managed Napoli, one of Maradona’s clubs.

This weekend, all Serie A players were taking the field wearing a black armband, and a minute’s silence was being observed before each kickoff, with players lined up around the centre circle.

Across Germany’s Bundesliga, teams stood for a moment’s silence and images of Maradona were shown on stadium screens.

Before their rugby Tri Nations test against Argentina, New Zealand captain Sam Cane presented an All Blacks jersey with Maradona’s name and number 10 to their oppponents.

As the All Blacks lined up to perform the haka, Cane stepped out, walked toward midfield and laid down the jersey as several Argentine players nodded in acknowledgment of the gesture.