FIFA should retire No. 10 shirt after Diego Maradona death – coach

Ligue 1 - Lorient v Olympique de Marseille - Stade du Moustoir, Lorient, France - October 24, 2020 Olympique de Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas reacts [REUTERS/Stephane Mahe]

Marseille manager Andre Villas-Boas has called on FIFA to retire the number 10 shirt from the game to honour Argentine great Diego Maradona, who died aged 60 on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack.

Maradona was regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, with fans in Argentina referring to him as ‘El Dios’ - which means ‘The God’, but is also a play on words on his number 10 shirt, ‘El Diez.’

Maradona’s former club Napoli have not used the No. 10 shirt since 2000 as a mark of respect for the player who guided them to several trophies and Villas-Boas said global soccer body FIFA should also pay tribute by withdrawing the number.

“Maradona, yes it is tough news, I would like FIFA to retire the number 10 shirt in all competitions, for all teams,” Villas-Boas told reporters after Marseille’s 2-0 Champions League defeat by Porto.

“It would be the best homage we could do for him. He is an incredible loss for the world of football.”

FIFA has previously said it would not allow Argentina to dispense with the number.

Soccer fans hold a vigil for Diego Maradona outside the stadium of Argentinos Juniors soccer club, where he started as a professional footballer, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020. The Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title died from a heart attack at his home in Buenos Aires. He was 60. (AP Photo/Marcos Brindicci)