Barcelona, November 26: Diego Maradona was saluted by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as an "eternal" wonder of the football world after his death at the age of 60.
Messi, a modern-day Argentinian superstar who followed in the footsteps of his idol by starring for Barcelona and the national team, posted a picture of himself with a beaming smile alongside Maradona.
He wrote: "A very sad day for all Argentines and for football. He leaves us but does not leave, because Diego is eternal.
"I keep all the beautiful moments I experienced with him and I wanted to take the opportunity to send my condolences to all his family and friends. RIP."
Meanwhile, Ronaldo hailed an "unparalleled magician" whom he could call "friend".
"Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best ever. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled," the Portugal and Juventus superstar wrote in his twitter handle.
"Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten," Ronaldo added.
Hoje despeço-me de um amigo e o Mundo despede-se de um génio eterno. Um dos melhores de todos os tempos. Um mágico inigualável. Parte demasiado cedo, mas deixa um legado sem limites e um vazio que jamais será preenchido. Descansa em paz, craque. Nunca serás esquecido.🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/WTS21uxmdL
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) November 25, 2020