Abu Dhabi: Diego Maradona is to celebrate his 56th birthday on Sunday by officially opening a new restaurant in Abu Dhabi dedicated to the football legend.
The Argentinian superstar will be appearing at Café Diego, in the Nation Galleria mall on the West Corniche, between 8pm and 10pm, with a dedicated FanZone set up on level one to pay homage to him.
This will be open between 11am and 8pm on both Saturday and Sunday and feature freestyle footballers, a singer, other attractions and merchandising to buy.
On Sunday evening, Maradona is expected to greet fans and will speak to invited members of the media.
Maradona has also invited a select number of unnamed, legendary football friends to help him revel in the double celebration and will be joined by members of his family.
The icon has become a familiar face in the UAE in recent years, first spending 14 months in charge of Dubai-based Arabian Gulf League outfit Al Wasl between 2011 and 2012.
He subsequently became a Dubai sports ambassador for the Dubai Sports Council, appearing at events such as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
His new restaurant venture will feature typical Argentine architectural designs reminiscent of the streets in Maradona’s hometown of Buenos Aires, according to promotional material.
Kitted out with murals and eye-catching upholstery, the venue promises to be just as colourful as the man himself.
It will serve a variety of traditional Argentine dishes and include some of the icon’s favourite delicacies.
Maradona rose to fame with Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors in his homeland in the late 1970s and early 1980s, before winning the La Liga title with Barcelona between 1982 and 1984.
He starred at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, almost single-handedly winning the tournament for Argentina, scoring five goals and making five assists.
Maradona was also a beaten World Cup finalist for his country four years later, when West Germany won 1-0.
In total, he scored 34 times in 91 appearances for Argentina between 1977 and 1994.
His most notable club spell came at the Italian side Napoli, for which he achieved cult status by inspiring them to five major titles, including two Serie A crowns, between 1984 and 1991.
In December 2000, Maradona was named joint Fifa Player of the 20th Century with Pele.
For more information on this weekend’s festivities, call 02 667 7990 or visit www.diegomaradonagroup.com.
