Maradona backs Venezuela's Maduro ahead of vote

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Argentine soccer great Diego Armando Maradona is showing his support for ruling party candidate Nicolas Maduro ahead of Venezuela's presidential election.

Maradona signed balls and kicked them into a cheering crowd gathered in downtown Caracas as Maduro wrapped up his campaign on Thursday.

Maradona, who led Argentina to its 1986 World Cup victory, was a self-proclaimed admirer of Venezuela's late president Hugo Chavez.

Chavez tapped Maduro as his successor before his death last month.

Maduro is running against opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

Venezuelans go the polls on Sunday.