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Since the untimely death of Diego Maradona earlier this week, we’ve seen tributes to the iconic figure all across the footballing world, from the Champions League to MLS. But Maradona’s influence was not limited to the sport he singlehandedly redefined, as Saturday’s All Blacks Maradona tribute illustrated.
New Zealand’s rugby team, the All Blacks, is almost always either the best or one of the best rugby teams in the world. At the Tri-Nations on Saturday before facing Maradona’s country of Argentina, the All Blacks paid a touching tribute to the fallen No. 10.
Before the match, and before the All Blacks’ iconic Haka dance, New Zealand captain Sam Cane laid a Maradona No. 10 shirt on the field.
All Blacks Maradona Tribute
I always get chills watching the All Blacks do the Haka, even more so when they’re also paying tribute to one of the greatest athletes of all time.
“It was a gesture, a token, of paying our respects to an Argentine legend, a world legend in his field as well,” Cane told The Associated Press after the match. “Rugby is a game first and foremost that is built on respect I believe, and it was the respectful and right thing to do.”
Argentina captain Pablo Matera said Maradona was an inspiration for his country.
“I didn’t know (about the tribute) until I did the coin toss with Sam Cane and he told me about it,” Matera said. “I’m really thankful for that. Diego Maradona was obviously huge for Argentina, so I’m really thankful for that gesture from the All Blacks.
“Maradona was a guy who represented our country the best way you could represent us as a sportsman. He’s been a huge inspiration for all of us: players, coaches, the people of Argentina. So we always have him in our thoughts and we just want to represent our country the way he did.”
New Zealand went on to win the match 38-0 to all but clinch first place in the competition, avenging a 25-15 loss from a couple week ago.
