A year after his death, Diego Maradona is remembered in his last team, Gymnastics and Fencing

“Maradona it gave us extra motivation. You looked at the bank and Diego was there and if you gave him a victory, he would be very happy, “he says. Eric Ramírez, forward of the Argentine club Gymnastics and Fencing La Plata, the last resting place of the legendary footballer who died a year ago.

Ramírez, 25, continues to play in the first gymnastics club. He trains with his teammates at Estancia Chica, an immense property of that club and where Diego Maradona continues to reign from a huge mural.

A smile illuminates the young attacker’s face when he speaks of the captain of the selected world champion in Mexico-1986, whom he had as technical director between September 2019 and March 2020, the date on which Argentina entered confinement due to the covid and Maradona had to isolate himself .

“It was a unique experience, I am privileged”, Insists Ramírez whose performance improved. “It helped me not to define quickly, to take time to find the right shot,” he says. The young man preserves the images of the hug he gave himself with Maradona that day that scored his first goal for Gimnasia before Aldosivi.

“Never bow your head”

“Diego transmitted to us the claw (courage) of never bow your head”, dice Nicolás ‘Tanque’ Contín, another 25-year-old forward, unable to train due to a recent injury.

He is a native of Caacatí, a small town in Corrientes, the home province of Doña Tota and Don Diego, Maradona’s parents.

“We talked about the family, the town, the fishing, from Corrientes because he knew it was important to him because of his parents. We always shared that and I will be grateful all my life, “he evokes, wiping away a tear.

Contín was one of those touched by the Maradonian wand. “Diego arrived and it was like something in my life that changed. It gave me the opportunity to play and in that game I scored goals and it was a new beginning in my career, “he tells AFP.

He proudly displays a Maradona tattooed on his arm. “He already knew that he had little (time) left. Diego once told me: ‘Vos Tanque, Ask me what you want, I’m going to give it to you‘because he wasn’t going to take anything to his grave, ”he recalls.

Back home

The Sep 8, 2019Diego Maradona was introduced as coach of Gymnastics, a historic and modest first division Argentine club founded in 1887. The team that struggled not to be relegated opened the doors for the idol’s return to the country. The The news caused a world uproar.

In the club “it was a terrible revolution”, Says Leonardo Sánchez, manager of the stadium located in the forest of La Plata, 60 km south of Buenos Aires.

That day an emotional Maradona was sincere: “I I needed in one of my last years to be in my country, and then I’ll see what I do, “he said after being received by 20,000 fans, including the 3,000 fans who joined the club for him. His previous destination had been the Sinaloa of Mexico.

In the surroundings of the La Plata stadium there are numerous murals with the face or figure of Maradona. In the stands a huge ’10bo’ painted in blue superimposes the ’10’ with the ‘Wolf’, the nickname for Gymnastics. The imposing throne from where Diego led, was left there as a museum.

On a wall at the edge of the court, a graffiti with his image evokes the day of the presentation. Below is an explicit poster: “September 8, 2019. Diego Armando Maradona steps on his definitive temple for the first time”.

In those six months with Maradona at the helm, Gimnasia played 21 games, with 8 wins, 4 draws and 9 losses, enough for Diego to be applauded on every court he visited. The last great recognition was lived in the mythical Bombonera on March 7, 2020 when facing Gymnastics with his beloved Boca Juniors, in the last game before lockdown.

“Without knowing it, a farewell was made on each court that he was. On each court, he was applauded and received the recognition that he so deserved. In every game Diegooo, Diegooo, “Nano Oliver, a 50-year-old fan of ‘Lobo’, told AFP.

Mentor to a Maradona affiliate of his club members, Nano displays the huge flags made for the idol: “Diego said that the smell of grass made him feel good and Gymnastics opened the door for him to be happy ”, he recalls.

The grass on the gymnastics court is very green and freshly fertilized. It is the last one that Maradona stepped on, when already with serious difficulties to walk and speak He was brought in in the midst of the pandemic for a failed 60th birthday celebration, on October 30, 2020, 26 days before his death.