In the wake of the Argentinian superstar's passing at the age of 60, Asif Kapadia claims that his legacy is to emotionally affect other people one way or the other.
- Nov 27, 2020
AceShowbiz - Oscar-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia has paid tribute to Diego Maradona, the soccer legend he immortalised on film, following his death on Wednesday, November 25.
Kapadia's acclaimed 2019 film, "Diego Maradona", chronicled the Argentinian superstar's career through the prism of his time at Italian club Napoli, during which he won two Serie A titles while also battling cocaine addiction.
After Maradona, 60, passed away following a heart attack, the director spoke to Channel 4 News about what made him want to make a film about him following his previous documentaries on Amy Winehouse and racing driver Ayrton Senna.
"For my generation, he was the best footballer ever, because of what he did and how he did it. But he's famous also because of the way he lived... 60 is young, but 60 for Maradona is a really long life and he's lived a few lives and he's really had a full one."
"There's a lot of stories and a lot of legacy and there's a lot of things that will come out, and I guess our film is a very small part of the legacy of trying to understand the guy, trying to understand the man and what he achieved."
Kapadia went on to explain that people were crying over his death in both Naples, Italy and Argentina, noting, "It's very difficult to be indifferent to Diego Maradona, he's emotionally going to affect you one way or the other, and that's his legacy."
Maradona, whose body is lying in state in Buenos Aires from Thursday to Saturday, is commonly credited with winning Argentina the 1986 World Cup title but was also a controversial figure due to moments like his 'Hand of God' goal against England in that tournament, battles with drugs and links to Neapolitan mafia organizations.
Following his death, a host of celebrities and sporting stars paid tribute, including Liam Gallagher, Brian May, Pele, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, Cristiano Ronaldo and his heir as Argentina's top soccer star, Lionel Messi.
