Havana, December 2 (RHC) -- The world was left without the leader of the team of politicians, said Diego Armando Maradona on his arrival to the island to pay tribute to Fidel, whom he professed to love as a son.

Maradona is one of those millions grateful for the work of the leader of the Cuban Revolution: when many turned his back on him, the island and Fidel welcomed him with open hearts to help and rehabilitate him.

Maradona moved from Argentina to Cuba in 2000 to treat his addiction to drugs after a crisis in Uruguay that brought him to the brink of death. "Fidel opened the doors of Cuba to me and thank God I am rehabilitated today. I get up every day and the disease is behind me," says TeleSur.

The world soccer star will be at the funeral of the ashes to be held in the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba, where the remains of the National Hero of Cuba, José Martí.

Upon learning of his death, he said that he was deeply hurt because he considered Fidel as his "second father."