Maradona’s coffin was brought to the presidential palace
Argentina has commenced three days of national mourning following the death of Diego Maradona.
The 60-year-old, idolised in his homeland for leading the country to World Cup glory in 1986, died after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday.
“Diego was Argentina in the world,” said the country’s president, Alberto Fernandez. “He gave us joy and we will never be able to repay him for so much joy.”
Maradona’s coffin – draped in Argentine colours and a Boca Juniors shirt – has now arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state. As the footage below shows, hundreds – if not thousands – have already visited to pay their respects.
Argentina mourns Diego Maradona with a wake at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires https://t.co/yWLxtjD1UR
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 26, 2020
Tributes to Maradona have flooded in from around the world, with countless fans turning out in numbers at various places closely associated with him.
Flowers, football shirts and lit candles were outside the grounds of Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors, his first two clubs in Argentina, whereas fans took to the streets and set off fireworks in Naples, where he played for six years of his career.
The mayor of the Italian city, Luigi De Magistris has also called for Napoli’s San Paolo stadium to be named after Maradona.
“Let’s name the San Paolo after Diego,” he said, adding: “Diego made our people dream, he redeemed Naples with his genius.”
