Inter chief executive Giuseppe ‘Beppe’ Marotta has followed Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti in paying tribute to the late Diego Armando Maradona.

Maradona passed away earlier on today aged 60 and tributes have poured in from around the footballing world and Marotta is the latest to pay tribute to the former Argentine national team player, who is widely regarded as one of, if not, the greatest player to have ever played football.

“As a football fan he is a player who has dispensed happiness and emotion. His play remains in football’s anthology.

“As an opponent he was already an icon, a champion,” Marotta, who has been with Inter since 2018 explained in an interview with Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, a short time before Inter’s crucial UEFA Champions League group stage match with Real Madrid kicked off.

The former Juventus executive went on to add: “With his plays there was something extraordinary, unrepeatable, the emotions he generated are something incredible.”

Maradona played for several clubs throughout his career but is perhaps best known for the success he brought to Naples when played for Napoli, who he led to Serie A glory among many other honours. He also played for Barcelona and Boca Juniors.