Pele mourns Maradona: 'We will kick a ball together in heaven'

Brazil legend Pele mourned the death of Diego Maradona on Wednesday following confirmation that the Argentine icon died of a heart attack earlier in the day.

"What sad news. I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend," Pele posted on Twitter, as translated by BBC Sport. "There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to family members."

"For sure, one day we will kick a ball together in heaven," he added in a statement to Reuters.

Widely considered two of the best footballers of all time, they were named joint-winners of the FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000.

Despite both sporting the No. 10 shirt during their respective careers, Pele and Maradona were starkly different players and personalities.

A goal poacher who thrived in the penalty area, Pele, 80, recorded over 1,200 goals for club and country before parlaying his reserved disposition into becoming Minster of Sport in his homeland.

Maradona was the complete opposite. As a player, the Argentine was both a playmaker and scorer, and his unpredictability and instinctive methods on the pitch were matched by a mercurial history off of it.