Gabriel Batistuta, the iconic former spearhead of the Argentine attack, has offered a harrowing reflection on the final days of Diego Maradona, suggesting the footballing legend was ultimately abandoned. During a candid sit-down with Manchester United Great Rio Ferdinand, Batistuta alleged that Maradona’s inner circle exploited his talent for financial gain, expressing a deep-seated hope that Lionel Messi avoids a similar fate.
The 57-year-old argued that the root of Maradona’s struggles traced back to his adolescence, where a lack of discipline and the pressure of being his family’s financial savior created a flawed foundation. According to Batistuta, the failure of those closest to him to provide boundaries during his rise to stardom led to a lonely and tragic end for the man who once carried the hopes of a nation.
Maradona’s passing in November 2020, caused by cardiac arrest at his residence, remains a point of immense guilt for Batistuta. He believes the collective football community, including himself, failed to look past the superstar persona to see the vulnerable human being underneath.
“His problem was that Maradona was already famous when he was six years old. His family wasn’t wealthy and they saw in him a way to escape from that situation,” Batistuta said.
“And I don’t blame anybody. Nobody said no to him when he was young. Everything was okay. That was a big mistake.
“It’s a shame because he was a great person, and he died alone. Nobody was with him. He died like a dog. We didn’t do much for him. And that is something that I don’t like to think about, because I blame myself too, because I was one of his supporters.
“I hope it doesn’t happen to Messi. Because when they are there [at the top], you don’t see that they have problems. You think they are okay. They have everything. They don’t cry.”
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