The hearse carrying the late Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona on its way from Casa Rosada presidential palace to the cemetery
Credit: AFP
Argentine football legend Diego Maradona was laid to rest Thursday after a private funeral on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, television images showed.
As darkness fell, the 60-year-old was honoured with a simple religious ceremony attended by family and close friends in the leafy surrounds of the Bella Vista cemetery outside the capital.
Earlier in the day a hearse bearing the flag-draped coffin of Mr Maradona rolled through the center of Buenos Aires as thousands of fans bade him a final farewell.
Amid blaring sirens and surrounded by motorcycle police outriders, the funeral cortege swept quickly through the streets around the presidential palace, where thousands of fans had filed past Mr Maradona’s coffin since early morning.
The lying in state, which had been extended to cope with the crowds surrounding the palace, was cut short by the family and officials after unruly fans took over an inner courtyard of the presidency.
Police then clashed with fans in the city center as the event threatened to descend into chaos.
The cortege avoided the main 9 de Julio avenue where many fans had gathered, and instead sped onto a highway out of the capital, following by dozens of photographers and cameramen on motorbikes.
Tens of thousands of people spent the night in a vigil in the Plaza de Mayo, singing songs in tribute to Mr Maradona, who led Argentina to the World Cup in 1986.
Napoli’s players too honoured the club legend on Thursday by stepping out onto the pitch wearing his number 10 jersey before their 2-0 Europa League win over Rijeka.
Mr Maradona played for Napoli between 1984 and 1991, helping the city win its first Serie A league title.
"Diego is a legend and will never die," said Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso. "Since yesterday you could see that the city breathed a different atmosphere.
"We hope to dedicate something important to him and win a trophy. In this city we have talked about it for too many years."
Aerial view of the burial of Mr Maradona at the Jardin Bella Vista cemetery
Credit: AFP
Thousands of people gather around San Paolo Stadium to pay tribute to Argentine soccer legend
Credit: Anadolu
Throughout the day, supporters thronged in front of the San Paolo Stadium, which could soon be renamed in honour of Mr Maradona.
"I believe it is right to baptise the San Paolo with your name to still have you with us," wrote club president Aurelio de Laurentiis on the club’s website.
A plaque was put up on the gates of the stadium which read "Diego Armando Maradona Stadium" and bore the face of the fans’ Argentine hero.
Captain Lorenzo Insigne had earlier led the tributes alongside fans gathered outside the stadium before the game. Blue-white scarves, flowers, photos of Mr Maradona and shirts stamped with number 10 were left in memory of the player.
An hour before kick-off, there were still several hundred fans singing in front of the stadium. Other Neapolitans, even more numerous, gathered in Piazza del Plebiscito in the centre of Naples.
Shortly before the match, Mr Insigne and former Napoli storekeeper, Tommaso Starace, left the stadium to join the tributes by laying a wreath at the foot of the gates.
"Maradona means a lot, not just to me but to all Neapolitans. He has always stood up for us, he has always held us in his heart and we must do the same," said Mr Insigne.
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