Pele pays rich tribute to Diego Maradona, says "one day, we will play ball together in the sky above"

Rio de Janeiro, Nov 25: Brazillian football icon Pele joined the sporting fraternity to condole the shocking demise of Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest on Wednesday (November 25).

Football legend Diego Maradona passes away

In an emotional tribute to his Argentine maverick, Pele said he hoped he would "someday play ball with Maradona in the sky".

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The only player, whose name was taken in the same breath with the 'King of Football', the 60-year-old Maradona died two weeks after undergoing a surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain.

"What sad news. I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend. There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to family members. One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky," Pele tweeted.

Que notícia triste. Eu perdi um grande amigo e o mundo perdeu uma lenda. Ainda há muito a ser dito, mas por agora, que Deus dê força para os familiares. Um dia, eu espero que possamos jogar bola juntos no céu. pic.twitter.com/6Li76HTikA

— Pelé (@Pele) November 25, 2020

Pele and Maradona had tremendous mutual respect and admiration for each other's skills. Despite a 20-year age difference, the two were good friends for decades and are widely regarded as the most gifted to have played the beautiful game.

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Famed for the "Hand of God" goal in which he punched the ball into England's net during the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals, Maradona captivated fans over a two-decade career with a bewitching style of play that was all his own.

Although his reputation was tarnished by his addictions and an ill-fated spell in charge of the national team, he remained idolised in soccer-mad Argentina as the "Pibe de Oro" or "Golden Boy".

The No. 10 he wore on his jersey became synonymous with him, as it also had with Pele, the Brazilian great with whom Maradona was regularly paired as the best of all time.

Bold, fast and utterly unpredictable, Maradona was a master of attack, juggling the ball easily from one foot to the other as he raced upfield. Dodging and weaving with his low centre of gravity, he shrugged off countless rivals and often scored with a devastating left foot, his most powerful weapon.