2020 - the year that no one expected to turn out like this - saw many greats gone, so much promise gone.
2020 - the year that no one expected to turn out like this - saw many greats gone, so much promise gone.
The year fans said final farewells to hall-of-fame talents, legendary players and coaches from various games.
From Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant to football's very own Diego Maradona, sports fans lost many legends along the way in 2020.
A look at the stars who all will surely miss.
1. Kobe Bryant
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American basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Sunday (January 26) in California, US. He was 41 years old and known as one of the most masterful scorers of all the time. His teenage daughter Gianna was also killed in the crash.
A total of nine people were on board the aircraft when it crashed near Calabasas, around 48 km north-west of downtown Los Angeles, in foggy weather. According to reports, the crash ignited brushfires, making it hard for rescue crews to get close to the site.
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that S-76 helicopter with five people on board crashed near the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas under "unknown circumstances".
The former LA Laker and his daughter were reportedly on their way to Mamba Academy near Thousand Oaks, California, for basketball practice, when the crash occurred.
Bryant retired from the game in 2016. He played 20 seasons in the NBA: all of them with the Lakers.
2. Paolo Rossi
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Real Madrid legend Paolo Rossi died at the age of 64. During his playing career, the striker represented Juventus, Como, Vicenza, Perugia, Milan and Hellas Verona until his retirement in 1987.
However, it was as Italy's hero in the 1982 World Cup that Rossi wrote his name in the history books. He scored 20 goals in 48 matches for the Azzurri, including six on the way to the 1982 trophy in Spain.
His hat-trick to beat Brazil 3-2 is legendary, followed by two goals to defeat Poland 2-0 in the semi-final and finding the net in the 3-1 Final triumph against West Germany. These exploits allowed him to win the Golden Boot as top scorer at the 1982 World Cup.
3. Diego Maradona
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Diego Maradona plunged the entire football world into sadness with his death at the age of 60 due to a cardiac arrest on Wednesday.
Diego Maradona is considered as one of the greatest footballers ever and his death is a massive loss to the world of football.
In his international career with Argentina, Maradona earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals.
Maradona played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico where he captained Argentina and led them to victory over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
4. James Harris "Kamala"
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Harris was a popular wrestler with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the 1980s died on August 9 at age 70 after experiencing a number of health problems related to diabetes.
Kamala was one of the most iconic superstars in this sports-entertainment history, He had some unforgettable matches against the classic heroes like Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker and Andre the Giant.
5. Joe Laurinaitis
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Joe Laurinaitis, better known as Road Warrior Animal, died at the age of 60 on Septemeber 22, according to WWE. The cause of Laurinaitis' death has not been disclosed.
WWE fans may not recognize the name Joe Laurinaitis, but they surely recognize his fierce painted face.
One half of the WWE Hall of Fame tag team known as the 'Road Warriors', Laurinaitis used his 6-foot-2, 300-pound frame to pound opponents alongside Michael Hegstrand (aka Road Warrior Hawk) from the 1980s to 2003, when Hegstrand died of a heart attack.
