THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has partnered with the Argentinian Embassy and Pegasus Hotel to pay tribute to Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, exhibiting a life-size image of the maestro in the hotel’s foyer for one week. Argentinian Ambassador Felipe Alejandro Gardella officially unveiled the tribute at the 2020 GFF Ordinary Congress on Saturday at the Pegasus Hotel. Delegates observed a minute’s silence in memory of one of the game’s finest players who died, aged 60, on 25th November. “I am very grateful for the invitation from the Guyana Football Federation to the Argentine Embassy and for the tribute to Diego Armanda Maradona,” the Ambassador said. “Football continues but it has lost an irreplaceable artist.” “Diego was a product of the humble neighbourhood in which he was born, but if soccer is universal, Maradona is also. He was a player who, to his natural ability, knew how to add a huge heart to never give up and lead his team,” he said.

“He was a great captain, a driving force, a great inspiration to everyone who played in his team. And he was excessive, in the game and in life. Rest in peace, dear Captain.” GFF President Wayne Forde presented Ambassador Gardella with a personalised Guyana men’s senior national team jersey and Federation pendant at the Congress – the first attended by an Argentinian government official. “We were honoured to host Ambassador Gardella at our Congress and to have the opportunity to honour Diego Maradona’s memory in this way. We encourage football fans to have a photo taken with the portrait in celebration of his life and remarkable achievements on the pitch,” said GFF President Forde. “We would like to thank the Embassy and Pegasus Hotel for helping us to bring this idea to life.”