Picture Credit: Twitter
An aeroplane dedicated to Argentine footballing legend Diego Maradona was unveiled on Wednesday before the start of the journey that will conclude at the World Cup in Qatar later this year starting in November. The plane is a Tango D10S which is a 12-seater sponsored by an Argentine fintech company - Give and Get.
The aeroplane is designed to be a flying museum as a tribute to the former World Cup winner, who passed away because of a heart attack in November 2020. It also has a picture of Maradona kissing the World Cup trophy on the fuselage, while his face is also on the tail.
Gaston Kolker, CEO of Give and Get, while talking to Reuters addressed the plane. He said, “I am mad about Maradona, one of those people who still watch videos of Diego before I go to sleep at night. This is the first World Cup without Maradona and maybe the last with (Lionel) Messi. I said, I want to make Diego’s plane, I want to make Diego’s plane. And so we launched Tango D10S.”
“When Maradona’s teammates saw it, the World Cup winners from 1986, they were amazed, they were hypnotized by the aircraft,” Kolker said during the unveiling event with other members from that World Cup-winning side. Maradona's daughter Dalma also talked about the plane and said, “We can't believe or understand this craziness, the love involved. "How far will fans go? As far as a plane.”
Diego Maradona has been one of the biggest inspirations for several players around the world. One of the players who looked up to Maradona is fellow Argentine forward Lionel Messi, who spoke about the importance of El Pibe de Oro in his career.
While speaking on Maradona’s death anniversary Messi said, “It seems like yesterday, I have a strange feeling. It feels incredible that a year has passed already and, without him here, Argentina are again champions [of the Copa America] after so many years.
“You always think that, at some point, you'll see him again on TV, in an interview, or giving his opinion about something. But it's been a long time since he passed away and it seems like yesterday. I'll always remember the best memories we shared, those that I was lucky enough to have with him,” he added.