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022738.SP.0115.lakers7.WS Lakers guard Kobe Bryant during the National Anthem at the Staples Center Monday against the Vancouver Grizzlies. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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022738.SP.0115.lakers7.WS Lakers guard Kobe Bryant during the National Anthem at the Staples Center Monday against the Vancouver Grizzlies. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Sports fans across the globe were hit by a huge loss last night. Argentine legend Diego Maradona passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was an inspiration not just for soccer players, but for many NBA athletes too, including the late Kobe Bryant.
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Bryant grew up in Italy when Maradona was the best player in the world and was playing for the Italian club Napoli. So he was left impressed and praised him a few years ago.
Maradona was Kobe's idol. pic.twitter.com/bTvVCyx5Ig
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 25, 2020
At that time, Maradona led Napoli to two Serie A titles, which are the only triumphs in the club’s history. He also led them to their only UEFA Cup win in the 1988–89 season. He retired as their all-time top goalscorer, a record which stood till 2017.
But Maradona’s greatest achievement is when he led Argentina to their first and only World Cup victory in 1986. With that, he stamped his name in soccer history as one of the greatest to ever play the sport.
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Diego Maradona shared the same respect for Kobe Bryant
The admiration was mutual for the two legends. When Kobe passed away in January, Maradona shared a post on Instagram dedicated to the Lakers legend. He also had an emotional caption which read, “All the good ones leave. I also regret the death of your daughter and the helicopter crew. Goodbye, legend” (translated via Google Translate).
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A few years back, Kobe Bryant had an interview, where he spoke about which moment made him go wow growing up. But the incident he talked about was from when he met Maradona at the Olympics. He was left star-struck when he saw Maradona and asked for a picture and autograph too. It was so memorable for him that Kobe said the picture hung in his office.
Both of them were unforgettable sports icons, and are sadly both of them were taken away from us this year. Fans weren’t still completely over Kobe’s loss when the Maradona news came about. In a year that has seen a lot of losses, these two are right up there. It is a tough loss, not just for basketball or soccer fans, but for the whole sports world.
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