As the football world mourns the loss of Diego Maradona, West Ham United have their own special link to the all-time great.
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Maradona sadly passed away aged just 60 this week in news which reverberated around the world.
West Ham offered condolences in a tribute to him on social media.
“Rest in peace, Diego. An icon of our game,” West Ham posted on Twitter.
West Ham have their own Maradona story to cherish
As Maradona was laid to rest in Argentina on Thursday it seemed everyone had a story to tell about him.
And West Ham have their very own to cherish.
The story will be known in some West Ham circles about when Maradona became a Hammer.
But perhaps it will not be common knowledge to the wider West Ham fanbase.
Neil Clack told fellow Hammers site West Ham Til I Die about the story back in 2014.
Diego cheered West Ham on to last major trophy then faced match-winner Sir Trev a few days later
“One little known football fact is that Diego Maradona is a West Ham supporter, and was at the 1980 FA Cup Final, cheering on his beloved Hammers,” Clack said on West Ham Til I Die.
“OK, slight exaggeration, but the Argentina squad, Maradona included, were at Wembley in 1980 – they were in town for a friendly against England on the Tuesday after the cup final, and they were supporting West Ham as they were the underdogs.
“Reports don’t say whether they were wearing hats and scarves or not!
“The squad were accompanied in London by a few Argentine journalists, and the day after the Cup Final, this quite beautiful report appeared in La Nacion (translated literally here, so as not to lose the feel).”
Knowing that arguably the best footballer of all time was there cheering on the Hammers for their last major trophy win for 40 years is special.
A player for the ages and a West Ham story for the ages
England beat Argentina 3-1 in that friendly a few days later.
Maradona played and faced West Ham’s very own legend Sir Trevor Brooking.
Days after scoring the winner in front of Maradona and his Argentine teammates, Brooking came on in the 72nd minute to face him – replacing Ray Kennedy.
Diego Maradona, a player for the ages.
And a West Ham story for the ages too.
Rest in peace.
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