Colombian exporter René Higuita has proposed that the Copa America be named after Diego Armando Maradona as a tribute to the football star, who died on November 25 last year in Buenos Aires. “We are ready to receive the best South American teams.
The Copa America that Colombia and Argentina will make is approaching, how rich. This (should be a) tribute to Diego Armando Maradona, Copa América Diego Armando Maradona, “Higuita said on social media.
The Copa America, which was to be played in 2020 in Argentina and Colombia, has been postponed for this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and will take place in both countries between June 13 and July 10. Higuita was friends with Maradona and expressed his admiration as a player and as a person several times.
Maradona, who died at the age of 60, was friends with former Colombian footballers such as “Pibe” Valderrama, Mauricio Serna and Faustino Asprilla, among others. The Argentine star also had a taste for Colombian music and was in the country for friendly matches and was a patient of doctors who treated him for his overweight and knee injuries.
As for the Copa América, Argentine President Alberto Fernández said last Thursday that he was worried that the matches of that tournament and the Copa Libertadores could increase coronavirus cases and considered that sports federations should be extremely careful.
“I don’t want to frustrate the Copa América show, what I want is to be very sensitive, very attentive. We have some time before we see how things evolve and see how we can master this problem,” said President Fernández.
EFE