I was so lucky you know to be a kid dreaming with Diego
and one day this dreaming became true.
I shared a room with Diego at Newells Old Boys
during six months and was so lucky that the coach said,
“ok, Mauricio, you are going to share the room with Diego”.
And that was one of my best experiences in football
and to understand that the bigger thing is not his talent,
it’s how he is, his human being, his human values, principles
that maybe sometimes are wrong, people that don’t know him, maybe can talk
because of the image maybe you can get from TV or
the acts that maybe he didn’t help himself, that he was doing,
but I think in the face to face, inside the room, the bedroom,
or in private rooms with a teammate, I think he is the most special
man and of course, one of the most special players
that I shared a room with.
I think for Diego is impossible to say that another player
was or will be better than Diego.
I think Maradona was a talented, gifted player, and amazing,
so strong physically natural, you know a body that's strong, quick, powerful.
But then his character, he is a winner,
his DNA you know, he's a winner, he's a winner and then the charisma, the energy
make him so special.
The charisma, I think is the best quality that he has.
I never thought in my lifetime that I would see anyone come remotely close
to Diego in terms of ability with a football.
I think we've seen Messi who is very similar in many ways,
obviously Argentinean, diminutive, brilliant left foot,
but Diego was incredible.
I actually played with him as well for half a game,
played for the “Rest of the World”, and at Wembley against an English league side,
because it was Centenary, I played for the rest of the world
because I was at Barcelona at the time, and all the players, there were people like
Platini on the pitch, lots of great, great players from around the
world and everyone was totally in awe of him.
First thing he did was in the dressing room he sat there,
just a pair of shorts and, you know like you roll your socks up,
he just stood there and he juggled them on his left foot,
just like that for about 5 minutes and everyone was going, “wooo”.
And then we went out on the pitch, and I don't think I'm tuned in, I think I
can stand up and show you this, he did something that was
incredible, one of the most unbelievable things I've ever
seen on a football pitch, it might not sound that amazing to you at
home, but I think you'll appreciate it.
He juggled the ball all the way out to the centre circle.
And then he got to the centre circle still juggling,
and then he went bang!
And he whacked it as high as he possibly could and he waited.
And it came down, and he went bang!
And he did it again.
And he did it 13 times.
And the most he ever did was walk three paces to it.
And all of us were sitting there going, "oh my god, that's impossible."
And I remember going to training the next day in Barcelona and stuff and we all tried
it.
And the best anyone was three and they were running for the third one.
And I've just never seen anyone have such a beautiful affection with a football.
When they call you on the phone and tell you that
Diego passed away, you think that Diego cannot die.
A legend is leaving us, an Argentinean who transmitted all
his rebellious nature to fight with positive and negative things,
but always while going forward.
He inspired us as youngsters, because we grew up with him, I am 50 and Diego
is 60, so our way of playing football was based on
watching him.
In Seville he welcomed me in a spectacular way alongside his family
I was young, he embodied the feeling of the Argentine team.
When someone tells you this, you say it is not possible, he is strong,
he always manages to escape but this time he couldn't.
I feel like he will always be with us, especially for Argentinians
because he is an absolute legend for us.
It brings us a lot of sadness, we feel empty.
Diego died, it can't be...
Everyone has their own personal problems, I think people should worry about their own
problems... rather than try to solve everyone else's.
I felt like dying all the time.
But I will confront my problems alone.
Those who wish to judge me should stick to my playing performance...
because as a human being, I have to live with myself 24 hours a day.