<p>BUENOS AIRES — Lionel Messi was among the Argentina players and coaches who paid tribute to Diego Maradona in a statue unveiling ceremony before their World Cup qualifier on Thursday against Chile.</p>
<p>Maradona died on Nov. 25 in Buenos Aires after cardiac arrest. He was 60. </p>
<p>Days later, Messi paid his respects by celebrating a goal for Barcelona with the shirt of Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys, where the 1986 World Cup winner had also played.</p>
<p>Argentina’s last official match took place weeks before Maradona died.</p>
<p>Messi, his teammates and coach Lionel Scaloni watched the unveiling of a bronze statue of the soccer great at the Único Madres de Ciudades stadium, in Santiago del Estero.</p>
<p>The statue depicts a defiant Maradona, hand on his waist and a ball at his feet. An inscription on it reads "Diego Maradona, 1960-2020” and a symbol representing infinity.</p>
<p>Later players also entered their match against Chile wearing a shirt featuring Maradona.</p>
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