Dubai: Argentina football legend Diego Maradona has said the visit of his compatriot Pope Francis to the UAE this week, February 3-5, will be ‘fabulous’ and ‘historic’. The 1986 World Cup winner, who is currently coach of Mexico’s Dorados, managed Dubai’s Al Wasl from 2011-2012 and Fujairah from 2017-2018, even serving as an ambassador for Dubai Sports Council. His status as the UAE’s most famous Argentine visitor is about to be overtaken however.

In an Instagram post, Maradona said that while the majority of the UAE’s population are Muslims, “They live peacefully with other religions, including Christians. The country is really an example to follow.”