Get Guardian on GoogleThe five heirs to Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, who died in 2020, have signed a deal with Swedish-Iranian businessman Ash Pournouri and his company Electa Global to market products under the Maradona name, the Swedish company said Tuesday.
The company said in a statement that under the long-term agreement “Electa will manage all aspects of product design, manufacturing, marketing, and retail, in close coordination with the family.”
“There aren’t many official Maradona products,” Pournouri told AFP.
Argentina’s legendary number 10 died of a heart attack on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60.
But while other football stars, such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappe, have leveraged their names and stardom into brands, Maradona never did.
“This is partly because it didn’t happen during his lifetime, and since his passing, his family and children haven’t wanted to undertake anything with anyone,” Pournouri explained, adding that “it took some time to earn their trust.”
“Our father’s name means so much to millions of people around the world,” the heirs were quoted as saying.
They continued to say, “It’s not just about products.”
“It’s about preserving who Diego was — his passion, his energy, and his love for people.”
Initially, high-end clothing, shoes, and accessories will be designed for the European market.
