The footballing world was broken by the news this week that Diego Maradona had died, and every figure in the game has been asked for their thoughts on the passing of the great man.
It was Frank Lampard’s turn today, in the press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash with Tottenham, and the Chelsea manager opened up about how much the Argentine meant to him:
“Diego Maradona was my idol growing up,” the Blues boss said in quotes picked up by Nizaar Kinsella.
“He was a person who was the player on the world stage that made me fall in love with the game,” he continued.
Lampard on Maradona: "Diego Maradona was my idol growing up. He was a person who was the player on the world stage that made me fall in love with the game."
"He is a footballing god."
#CFC— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) November 27, 2020
“He is a footballing God.”
Lampard is the perfect age to have seen Maradona at his peak, and growing up in a footballing family he must have been heard plenty about the exploits of the little genius as he was growing up.
He even admitted that despite being English, he couldn’t hold the infamous “hand of God” moment against him, so much was his brilliance as a player over the years.
Lampard doesn’t mince his words, and this was a predictably honest and open tribute to a legend of the sport he loves.
