'Madrid Messi' Gerardo Bruna recalls his 'magical' meeting with Maradona at Liverpool training base

GERARDO BRUNA describes the day he met his idol and compatriot Diego Maradona as one of the highlights of his life.

The Derry City midfielder from Mendoza was just 17 years-old and recently signed by Liverpool Football Club when the man affectionately dubbed 'Pibe de Oro' - 'Golden Boy' - brought the club's Melwood training base to a standstill.

On a mission to personally break the news to Javier Mascherano that he would captain the Argentinian national team shortly after he took over as manager, Maradona took time out to sign autographs and pose for photographs with everyone at the club.

An orderly queue had formed up the stairs to Liverpool boss, Rafa Benitez's office where the man who almost single-handedly won the 1986 FIFA World Cup for Argentina was standing.

It was a constant stream of players and staff waiting patiently for their chance to catch a glimpse of football's most famous and flawed genius, infamous for his 'Hand of God' goal which helped dump England out of the World Cup in Mexico.

And when Bruna's turn arrived, there was a warm greeting followed by a worrying moment when an apparent camera failure threatened not to capture an image he will forever treasure.

Bruna, once described as the 'Madrid Messi' while at Real Madrid's famous La Fábrica, recalls that 'magical' moment when he was in the presence of arguably the greatest player that ever lived.

"I think we just finished training and everyone started saying 'Maradona has arrived,' said Bruna. "Everyone started to have a quick shower and started to go to where he was.

"He was in Rafa Benitez's office, it was a few weeks after he got the job with the national team. He came to England to see some of the players. I think after Liverpool he went to Manchester United to see (Carlos) Tevez.

"He came to tell Mascherano that he wanted him to be his captain of the national team.

"His presence was amazing. He arrived at Melwood and it was like chaos. Everyone wanted to get their picture taken with him and his autograph. It was just insane.

"He was in Rafa Benitez's office. The changing rooms at Melwood were downstairs. So we went upstairs and Benitez's office is open and he's there but there is a queue of players already waiting to visit him.

"And I mean it's all the first team players and the reserve team players - everyone, the secretaries, everyone.

"When I walked in, I was 17 and only just signed for Liverpool and was only there for a few months. When I walked into the office Benitez said; 'look, this one is Argentinian'.

"Maradona said; 'what the hell are you doing here,", laughing. He gave me a hug and asked a few questions about if I'm enjoying it and things like that.

"We took a picture. The guy who was taking it took a bit of time to take it, whether the phone wasn't working well or whatever.

"So Maradona is holding me with his arm and is saying; 'come on man, we are going to fall in love.'

"So yeah, he gave me a hug and that was it as there were loads of others waiting to see him. As I said, it was a magical moment."

While Bruna (29), a proud Argentine who grew up in Spain, is too young to have watched Maradona play in the flesh, his 69 year-old father was a huge fan of the diminutive former Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli star.

He's grown up hearing legendary tales of Maradona's heroics and the stories of his many misdemeanours and has watched endless documentary and youtube footage of the man in action.

"My dad is 69 and Maradona was 60 so he saw him play all his life. Every family in the world. especially if you are Argentinian, hopes their sons can become just a little bit like him."

Bruna has two young sons himself, Leo and Levi and an eight months old daughter, Luca and he believes Maradona's story will give young kids growing up in the streets of Argentina hope they can achieve their dreams.

"It's not just that. It's also because he was so humble, coming from a really poor place and becoming who he became. He gave hope for everybody that you can be someone. And the way he did it was just incredible.

"He was dad's idol as well. It's not only in Argentina but everywhere in the football world. The reaction to his death yesterday and today, I don't think the world has seen anything like it."

When the news broke of Maradona's untimely death at the age of 60, Bruna was preparing for Derry City's FAI Cup quarter-final against Sligo Rovers.

He posted the photograph taken that memorable day in Melwood on his social media before the game and admits the sad passing put things into perspective as he simply wanted to get out on the pitch and enjoy himself.

"For me it's been a tough season. I picked up an injury and missed a lot of games and a lot of training because of the Covid. Also I just wanted to play football. Not just because of what just happened with Maradona.

"We haven't been able to kick a ball for about a month. I don't know if anywhere in the world has seen anything like it, playing official games without actually training.

"So obviously I missed playing football and it was the emotions of everything. I just wanted to go out there and enjoy myself because life is short. It's been a tough year and I just wanted to enjoy football."

Derry lost out on a penalty shootout which ended their frustrating season. However, Maradona's untimely passing gave Bruna plenty of food for thought.

"I think everyone in football has been affected by it. Obviously he played before I was born but from what all the stories my dad told me and when you look at videos on Youtube and documentaries you can just see what an amazing footballer he was."

So why, apart from his obvious successes on the pitch, was he so revered in his native Argentina, Naples where he transformed Napoli into a European powerhouse, and beyond.

"He started at the lowest in society and reached the highest in everything in life with his football and his fame," explained Bruna.

"It wasn't just him as a player, it was also his presence. I don't even know how to describe it.

"He couldn't go anywhere without people following him. I don't think any other footballer has had that. It wasn't just him as a footballer it was who he was as a person as well.

"(Pep) Guardiola said yesterday about a banner in Argentina saying something like 'I don't care what you have done with your life, it's about what you have done with our lives' in terms of the joy and happiness he brought.

"It was one of the highlights of my life when I had the chance to meet him."