The late legend described Dubai as the most beautiful city and the closest to his heart

Maradona and the Emirates ... a story of love, human attitudes, and the discovery of talents

• Distinctive moments lived by the late Maradona players.

  Emirates today

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The legend of world football, the late Argentine Diego Maradona, was associated with a relationship of love and love for the UAE for years, where he remained and led the Al Wasl and Fujairah teams, and witnessed many distinctive stories, humanitarian situations and the discovery of football talents.

Maradona had passed away after a heart attack at his home, in the suburbs of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, the day before yesterday, and his death was a great shock to his vast audience in the world, as he was the most prominent legend in the history of the round witch, and the late confirmed on more than one occasion that Dubai is the most beautiful city and the closest to it. His heart, and he wishes to stay with it for life.

The personal companion of Maradona, Nasser Obaid Khalifa, and his personal translator, Muhammad Al-Najjar, revealed to "Emirates Today", many distinctive positions in the history of the late and his relationship with the Emirates, and Nasser Obeid said that among the human stories, when he learned that a young man was from an Arab country, He imitated his signature on Al Wasl's shirt, and wanted to sell it to support his family, refused to resort to the police and the judiciary, and asked to meet the fan.

He continued: "The fan was crying out of fear, so the legend hugged him and calmed him down, advised him not to violate the laws, helped him with 20,000 dirhams, and signed the shirt, and he did not want to talk about it at that time."

Letter to Dubai

For his part, Maradona's personal translator, Mohamed Al-Najjar, said that the last phone call to Maradona was at the end of the last blessed month of Ramadan, and that time was in Argentina.

He said that he advised him to convey his greeting to the people of the Emirates and to Dubai, and he continued: “He said a text: Inform those who love Maradona in the Emirates that I need to stay for one year in Argentina, and after that I will return to Dubai, which I miss permanently, and I will stay when I return for a long time.”

His story with Muhammad Khalfan

Al-Najjar said that the legend, during his tenure as coach of the Fujairah team, was the one who discovered the talent of the national team player and the former Fujairah club and now Sharjah, Muhammad Khalfan, and said that Maradona used to say about him that he would have a great future, and he continued: “Maradona wished to have many opportunities to play, He described him as an important and capable player, and was proud of being the first citizen player to win the league's top scorer title in the first division.

Regarding the story of Argentine Donda and Al Wasl, Nasser Obeid said that Maradona requested a contract with his countryman to play with the "Panthers", and that he also asked not to renew him after he was injured, indicating that Maradona said that he knew that this type of injury did not heal quickly. Stressing that this is what really happened.

Apology to Fujairah players

Al-Najjar said that one of the late’s distinctive positions is that during the training camp of Fujairah in the Netherlands, summer 2017, Maradona was about two hours late for morning training, as he had to sleep late due to filming a promotional advertisement for a Dutch company, and he continued: “When he came, he found everyone waiting for him, and he deeply apologized. For players, and decided to allocate advertising revenue to them, in a good gesture from the legend ».

Chronology of Maradona's connection with the Emirates Football

May 14, 2011: He arrived in Dubai on a private visit at the invitation of Al Wasl Department to inspect the club's facilities.

May 16, 2011: Al Wasl unexpectedly announced his contract with Maradona, to become coach of the team, with a contract for two seasons.

June 4, 2011: The "Panthers" presented Maradona at an international press conference.

August 29, 2011: He achieved his first victory with Al Wasl against Al Ittihad Kalba 3-1 in a friendly match.

November 19, 2011: Maradona loses his closest people with the death of his mother, Salvador, while in the Emirates.

July 10, 2012: Al Wasl announced the disengagement from Maradona and the failure to complete his contract after the team lost the Gulf Clubs Championship title.

September 2, 2012: The Dubai Sports Council announced the appointment of Maradona as an honorary ambassador for sport in Dubai, as he continued in his position until 2017.

May 7, 2017: Fujairah contracted Maradona as coach of the team, to lead it in the First Division.

April 27, 2018: Fujairah announced the disengagement from Maradona, after the "wolves" missed the opportunity to qualify for the Arab Gulf League.

Maradona trained Al Wasl and Fujairah, and was an honorary ambassador for sports in Dubai.

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