Diego Maradona’s visit to India: Some of the best moments captured on camera

Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona passed away on November 25 at his home in Tigre after suffering a cardiac arrest. (Image: AFP)

Maradona, who died at the age of 60, was short, powerful and quick. He was also a ferocious and astute competitor who refused to be intimidated even though many opponents tried. (Image: AFP)

Earlier in November, Maradona underwent a surgery for a brain clot. (Image: AFP)

Maradona’s personal doctor, neurologist Leopoldo Luque, said that the problem had likely been caused by an accident. He was, however, released from a Buenos Aires hospital just over a week after undergoing the surgery, and was to continue his recovery in a private home. (Image: AFP)

Maradona made his debut for Argentinos Juniors just before his 16th birthday and his debut for Argentina at age 16 in February, 1977. (Image: AFP)

Maradona continued to cause controversy since his heyday as a player, getting sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the United States for doping and later dropping in and out of the game as a coach. (Image: AFP)

Diego Maradona’s promise to bring "big-time" football to India remained unfulfilled as he died, leaving a cricket-mad nation devastated in an appropriate reflection of his immortal status. (Image: AFP)

Many will remember the way he swayed, slithered and slalomed during his epochal World Cup triumph in 1986 in Mexico. A lot many in the 'City of Joy' will recall how a little bulky version of Maradona huffed and puffed during a charity football game in Kolkata three years ago. (Image: AFP)

Maradona played against a cricketing demigod in Sourav Ganguly, who was among the first to react to his death in Buenos Aires by saying that he lost his hero. (Image: AFP)

The Argentine legend, who was 57 when he came in Kolkata, had managed to dribble, show glimpses of his deft left foot and even crooned Spanish songs, as he sweated it out with a bunch of school children and bid them adieu with a promise to "bring football" to India. (Image: AFP)

In December 2017, Maradona turned up in shorts, enjoyed every bit of the maddening attention even though the gruelling session literally drained him as he was seen drenched in sweat, pouring water on his head. But he had no complaints and was eloquent in his three-minute Spanish speech. (Image: AFP)

Speaking in Kolkata, Maradona had said, "I'm here for football... It is a big step, that we take to uplift football in India," as he visited nearly nine years after his first visit to the city. (Image: AFP)

"The country really has good players and a football school of boys. Football wants India and India wants football,” Maradona had said. (Image: AFP)

"Together with the people we will bring football. I have always been very well received in India. Thanks and kiss!" Maradona had signed off, never to come back again. (Image: AFP)

Maradona also obliged his many die-hard fans with photographs and did not mind sitting on the pitch for that perfect frame. (Image: AFP)

Maradona then headed straight near the packed galleries and wowed his fans with shooting some footballs in the air. (Image: AFP)

Maradona realised his dream of visiting the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata and prayed at Mother Teresa's abode. (Image: AFP)

Maradona visited Marxist veteran Jyoti Basu, the-then chief minister of West Bengal. The football legeng considered Basu as one of his close acquaintances as Basu was close legendary Cuban leader Fidel Castro, whom Maradona considered as his "second father". (Image: AFP)

Taking to Twitter, Kerala CM P Vijayan said: "Deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Diego Armando Maradona. The Argentinian footballer was one of the greatest athletes of all time. Our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family and his fans around the world. We all will miss him, the beautiful game will miss him." (Image: AFP)

The Goa government will install the life-size statue of late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona in the coastal belt of North district by early 2021, said a senior minister. (Image: AFP)

Maradona's statue is already under construction with a Maharashtra-based artist working on the mould, Calangute MLA and state Ports Minister Michael Lobo told news agency PTI. (Image: AFP)

Calangute MLA and Goa Ports Minister Michael Lobo announced the installation of the statue of Maradona in 2018. (Image: AFP)

The mould of the Maradona’s statue is ready, said Calangute MLA and Goa Ports Minister Michael Lobo. (Image: AFP)

In Argentina, Maradona was worshipped as 'El Dios' - The God - partly a play on words on his number 10 shirt, 'El Diez.' (Image: AFP)

Maradona was largely responsible for Argentina's World Cup victory against West Germany in 1986 in Mexico, scoring two famous goals in one game against England in the quarter-finals. (Image: AFP)