Football legend Diego Maradona’s death on Wednesday sent the world into mourning with messages of condolences also pouring in from the Indian sports fraternity for the mercurial Argentine. 

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sourav Ganguly, who is himself known as an avid football enthusiast, said Maradona was the reason he started watching the beautiful game. 

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“My hero no more ..my mad genius rest in peace ..I watched football for you..,” Ganguly tweeted. 

Widely considered as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Maradona’s heroics in the 1986 World Cup, where he scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the quarter-final, elevated him to godly status in his native Argentina. 

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar also paid tribute to Maradona, saying “Football and the world of sports has lost one of its greatest players today. Rest in Peace Diego Maradona! You shall be missed.”

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Swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag condoled the death of the football icon, saying, “Arguably one of the greatest sportsman of all time. Saddened to hear about the passing away of the great Diego Maradona. My heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Indian football team skipper Sunil Chhetri paid his tribute to the great man, saying, “The man has left us. His magic, madness and legend never will. #Maradona”

Former Indian hockey captain Viren Rasquinha thanked Maradona for all the “memories & madness”.

Apart from his exploits for Argentina, Maradona is most notably known for a stellar, seven-year spell at Napoli, from 1984 to 1991, where he spent most of his prime years and starred in their most successful era. 

He led the Naples side to the Seria A title in 1987 and 1990, and the UEFA Cup in 1989. 

He died on Wednesday following a cardiac arrest. He underwent a surgery last month to