DOHA: Javier Maluf will quietly put on a shirt worn by Diego Maradona against England, but other fans at the World Cup have more noisy plans for Friday’s second anniversary of the death of the flawed genius.
Argentina’s legion of supporters may also be praying to the sporting gods that the late football great can still inspire his country to victory over Mexico on Saturday to keep their hopes in Qatar alive.
Maluf is like many Argentina fans who have never fully recovered from Maradona’s death from a heart attack at the age of 60.
The shirt that Maradona wore during a game against England at Wembley in 1980 is the prized item in Maluf’s collection of 1,000 game-worn football jerseys that he estimates is worth $1 million.
“I will put it on for a while as a sign of respect,” he said at his Doha home, where the shirts and other souvenirs are kept.
“We all know his story but we all know his impact on the game.”
A respected memorabilia sleuth, Maluf, 56, also has a blood-stained Argentina shirt worn by Mario Kempes in a 1978 World Cup game against France.
That is folded near a River Plate shirt worn in 1931 by Carlos Peucelle, who played in the first World Cup a year earlier.
Memorabilia is now big business, with Maradona items much sought after.
In May, a shirt worn by the Argentina forward when he scored his infamous 1986 World Cup “Hand of God” goal against England sold at auction for $9.3 million.
The ball that he fisted into the England net sold this month for £2 million ($2.4 million).
The shirt is on display at the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum during the World Cup but Maluf is among fans who believe that it belongs in Argentina.
“It would be good if it goes to Argentina one day, so that all the public can see it and feel the importance,” he said.
More than 30,000 Argentina fans are in Qatar for this year’s tournament and while many worship current number 10 Lionel Messi, Maradona’s name still carries an almost mystical force.
Many have been on a pilgrimage to a giant Maradona mural near the Khalifa stadium in Doha.
At Argentina’s first game — a shock 2-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia — there were Maradona masks, banners and shirts on display in the stadium.
And aficionados say there will be many public tributes to Maradona on Friday.
One group plans a march to the Maradona FanFest at Doha’s international airport.
The main attraction there is a hologram of the player plus a “tribute jet” bearing images of Maradona that will be auctioned, with a chunk of the proceeds going to charity.
Diego and Churi Veliz went to Monday’s game wearing headgear emblazoned with Maradona sitting on a camel. They took countless selfies with Arab football fans.
Gonzalo, a 32-year-old Buenos Aires lawyer, recalled the shock of finding out about Maradona’s death.
“I was on the beach, my girlfriend told me and I said we had to grab our things and go straight back to Buenos Aires.” They were among thousands who waited outside Maradona’s house.
Claudio carried a flag showing Maradona embracing Messi, which will be seen again when Argentina take on Mexico.
Laura Valero, who borrowed $8,000 to make the trip to Qatar, said she was “recovering” from the defeat.
“I will be wearing a Maradona shirt because you have to believe in something,” she said of the looming anniversary and game.
Fans at World Cup pay homage to football great Diego Maradona with shirts and chants
https://arab.news/bce3m
Fans at World Cup pay homage to football great Diego Maradona with shirts and chants
- Supporters praying that the late football great can still inspire his country to victory over Mexico
- More than 30,000 Argentina fans are in Qatar for this year’s tournament
Australia get over the line in Sydney for 4-1 Ashes triumph
- Steve Smith: We know the importance of every Test match with the World Test Championship, so to get the result here and finish the series on a high was incredibly pleasing
- It was 15 years and a day since England won the final Test of the 2010-11 series at the same ground by an innings and 83 runs — the last time they won an Ashes series Down Under
SBYDNEY: Australia had a few nervous moments but safely chased down their 160-run victory target before tea on the final day of the fifth Ashes Test on Thursday for a five-wicket victory and a 4-1 series triumph.
Seamer Josh Tongue led England's battling rearguard with 3-42 but Alex Carey got Australia across the line with a four through the covers in mid afternoon in the company of Cameron Green.
"It's nice to finish on a high note," said stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith.
"We know the importance of every Test match with the World Test Championship, so to get the result here and finish the series on a high was incredibly pleasing."
England will take credit for making a game of it and not being ground into the Sydney dirt as previous tourists have in end-of-series dead rubbers at the famous old ground.
Without the bowling of injured captain Ben Stokes, however, defending 160 was always going to be an uphill challenge on a good wicket which allowed the second day-five action of the series.
Australia's openers managed to get the target under 100 runs before Man of the Match Travis Head, whose third century of the series underpinned his team's first-innings 567, ballooned a shot to midwicket off Tongue for 29.
Jake Weatherald followed for 34, again caught off Tongue's bowling, to bring up lunch with Australia 89 runs from their goal.
It was 15 years and a day since England won the final Test of the 2010-11 series at the same ground by an innings and 83 runs — the last time they won an Ashes series Down Under.
Khawaja made his debut in that match and got his chance for one final innings before retirement when Smith was bowled through the gate by the spin of Will Jacks for 12 soon after lunch.
The England players formed a cordon to welcome Khawaja to the crease but Tongue's bowling was less friendly and the lefthander played on for six after facing seven balls.
"I was trying to act cool, but the whole test match I found it really hard to control my emotions," the 39-year-old admitted.
Labuschagne had been dropped on 20 off Tongue when Bethell failed to hold onto the ball despite an acrobatic leap at backward point.
He was unable to make the most of his reprieve, however, running himself out for 37 with 39 runs still required for victory.
Carey, who made 16 not out, and Green, who finished unbeaten on 22, nearly reprised Labuschagne's exit with a classic mix-up after an overthrow but eventually made their ground to secure the victory.
"It was a great game to be involved in with the test match going to the fifth day and have a bit of drama in the end," said Stokes, who exhorted his players from the slips on Thursday.
"It's a tough one to take knowing that we can play better than that. But I've got to give full credit to (Australia). They've been just incredible for five test matches."
England had resumed on 302-8 but Mitchell Starc struck a major blow to their hopes of setting Australia a testing target when he had Bethell caught behind for 154.
Bethell's superb maiden Test century offered plenty of promise for the future and was essentially the difference between an innings defeat for England and Australia batting again.
Starc (3-72) returned to remove Tongue for six to end the innings on 342, the left-arm quick later awarded Player of the Series honours for his tally of 31 wickets over the five Tests.
"The body is still holding together and this is a great group to be a part of," the 35-year-old said. "I am a little tired but got the job done."
