Buenos Aires (AFP)
Star-rated player, embodiment of all excess, Diego Maradona is ironically forced to celebrate his 60th birthday almost alone on Friday, confined to his residence south of Buenos Aires, contact case of a person with symptoms of Covid-19.
"Patient at risk" operated on many times for respiratory or heart failure, the famous Argentine number 10 misses the opportunity to celebrate his 60th spring in the very place where he shone the most: on the rectangular meadow of a field of football.
Yet the opportunity was good Friday for the resumption of the Argentinian championship, stopped for 8 months because of the pandemic, to see him on this particular day on the sidelines of Gimnasia y Escrima la Plata that he now trains.
Celebrations were announced in family privacy, surrounded by his five recognized children as well as his grandson, but nothing has been confirmed since the announcement, Tuesday by his doctor, of his placement in solitary confinement. preventive manner.
- "Right hand" -
Maradona rose to fame, fell into the excess of alcohol and cocaine that could have led him to tragedy.
Despite age and redemption, he still gives the face of the world his rebellious spirit, not being able to prevent himself as this celebration approaches from making reference to the ineffable "Hand of God".
"I dream of scoring another goal for the English, with the right hand this time," he told France Football magazine this week.
This left hand goal, which preceded his historic slalom in the English defense for his double in this quarter of the World Cup (2-1) then the final victory against Germany (3-2), propelled him during the World Cup-1986 in Mexico to the rank of icon of Argentine football.
- Rain of tributes -
If Friday promises to be cloudy over the Rio de la Plata estuary, tributes will rain heavily.
The Brazilian Pelé, the other huge football star of the 20th century, is expected to return to Maradona the wishes he received last week on his 80th birthday.
With age coming wisdom, the two idols who had so many verbal quarrels are reconciled: "I want to join this universal homage, very happy 80 years of life to King Pelé", Maradona wrote to him.
Obviously the wishes of the other Argentine star, Lionel Messi and his six Golden Balls, which is missing the supreme title of world champion, are expected, as well as a message from the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.
“You are on a higher level than others,” Maradona told them.
FIFA should not show any emphasis, Maradona having called its historic leaders "mafiosi", "thieves", "dictators" and "ignorant".
Tributes will also come from the south of Italy, from this club and this city of Naples which have so merged with the brilliant number 10.
- Normal life -
If he is popular, it is also because Maradona has always exceeded the limits of the green rectangle to be the voice of the common people against the rich elites.
Its motto: "I will never deny my origin", that of the working class.
His birthday will be an opportunity to renew his social and political commitments.
The "Ten of 10" charity campaign for ten cities and ten national team jerseys bearing his signature auctioned off will be launched.
One of the ten award-winning towns to receive funding is Esquina, in the coastal province of Corrientes, where her parents, Doña Tota and Don Diego, were born, who had eight children.
Maradona lives in Brandsen, south of Buenos Aires, where it all started in the Bombonera de la Boca Juniors.
It is only 10 minutes from the Gimnasia training center.
His large house is surrounded by a park, a football pitch, a swimming pool and a traditional Argentinian barbecue.
One of his daughters, Jana, cultivates an organic vegetable garden there so that her father can eat healthily.
In addition to training, his life is punctuated by daily exercises prepared by his doctor and his personal coach.
© 2020 AFP