MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Conmebol names a star after Maradona on the first anniversary of his death

Ruggeri highlighted how fortunate Argentina had been that Maradona had been born there.

South America's Football Confederation (Conmebol) Thursday announced a star had been named after Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona on the first anniversary of the former player's death.

During the ceremony held in Montevideo, which will host this year’s Libertadores and Sudamericana Cup finals, the naming of the star was announced. The star's coordinates are “RA: 12h 08m 21.5s DEC: -50 ° 50 '16.8” it was reported.

Conmebol released a video of its tribute to the footballer through its official Twitter account, during the afternoon of this November 25, 2021: “From today, at RA coordinates: 12h 08m 21.5s DEC: -50 ° 50 '16.8, there will be a star full of goals and dribbles baptized with the name of' Maradona.”

 “Because he shone on earth and now he will illuminate us from the sky,” the Conmebol release explained as the “La Mano de Dios” by Rodrigo played along.

Argentine national teammates of Maradona's 1986 squad which won the 1986 World Cup in Mexico were summoned to Conmebol's broadcast through its social media channels.

Nery Pumpido, Ricardo Giusti, Oscar Ruggeri, Checho Batista and Jorge Burruchaga recalled what it meant to them to have been a part of that roster.

“Diego was from another planet,” said Burruchaga, who scored the winning goal in the final against Germany after a great pass from Maradona.

“He got all of us used to his dribbling past all his illnesses, all his episodes and for us, this was just one more [of those events] Diego was going to dribble through. He couldn't. I am convinced we all have a destiny and this was his,” Burruchaga explained.

”I want to remain next to that gladiator who helped us be world champions (...) we are going to miss him for the rest of our lives,“ he added.

Ruggeri highlighted how fortunate Argentina had been that Maradona had been born there. ”He told us that this was the way and he was not wrong.” Ruggeri was also a sad defender José Luis Cuciuffo and José Luis Brown (co-authors of Argentina's opener against Germany at Mexico 1986's final), had also departed too early from this world.

Batista and Giusti, meanwhile, insisted on rescuing “the good” in Maradona. “I want to stay with the human part, the generous, good, funny type, who made us laugh at all times,” said 'Checho', while Giusti agreed: “What is convenient is to stay with the good things that we went through with Diego ”.