Pope Francis remembers fellow Argentine Maradona affectionately, praying for him

In this Sept. 1, 2014 file photo, Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona, left, greets Pope Francis in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

Pope Francis remembers soccer legend and fellow Argentine Diego Maradona with affection and is keeping him in his prayers, the Vatican said on Wednesday, and official Holy See media called him “soccer’s poet”.

Maradona, who died on Wednesday at his home in Argentina following a heart attack, met the pope several times at the Vatican after Francis was elected in 2013 as Latin America’s first pope.