Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts has written to the President of the Argentina Football Association Claudio Tapia expressing his sorrow at the passing of football legend Diego Maradona.
The 60-year-old Maradona, who was widely considered one of, if not the best player that has ever lived, died of cardiac arrest in his sleep Wednesday, mere weeks after undergoing brain surgery.
His death has set off a wave of mourning across the globe for the player who captivated the world of football for more than two decades. Among them, the JFF.
“The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is indeed saddened by the death of the legendary Diego Armando Maradona. He was an extraordinary player and an inspiration to individuals in every corner of the world, including Jamaica,” the letter stated.
“We watched him with awe throughout his glorious career and remember him in a good way. His performances for Argentina, especially those at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, are etched indelibly in our subconscious. Many of my countrymen became supporters of your team because of his incredible exploits.
“The JFF extends condolences to the Argentina Football Federation and the people of Argentina who have lost a true football icon. May his soul rest in peace in the hands of God.”
Meanwhile, Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Gender, Culture, Entertainment and Sports said she was also saddened by the news.
“This is a sad day for world football. Whether you supported Argentina or not, you have to admit that Diego Maradona was one of the greatest football players the world has ever seen. Nobody dribbled like Maradona. Maradona was colourful and gifted and made the game exciting. It was a pleasure to watch him play at every level,” she said in a statement.
“People will recall the ‘hand of God’ controversy and his personal struggle with substance abuse. But I want to focus on his skill that propelled him to make his international debut at age 17; his World Cup glory in 1986, his winning the FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000, jointly with another great, Pele and just the inspiration that he was and will continue to be for football players and fans everywhere.”
She described Maradona’s passing as a great loss to the world of sports as he inspired an entire generation of youths across the world to be involved in and support football.
“May his soul rest in peace. We will miss him,” she said.