One year after the death of Diego Armando Maradona, the whole world paid tribute to him. And in his country, Argentines took to the streets, in many cases wearing one of their shirts with the number Ten number, to honor him. Thousands of murals and paintings illustrate cities throughout the country trying to immortalize their presence.
In every corner of the country the figure of El Pelusa was remembered. At the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, where there is a sanctuary dedicated to Diez, the fans left floral offerings and messages. Also in murals located in the vicinity of the courts where he played: Boca, Newell’s and Gimnasia de la Plata, a club where he served as coach until his illness and subsequent death. Also Napoli, Barcelona paid tribute to him. Also in Villa Fiorito, where El Pelusa was born, his neighbors remembered and honored him.
The legislature of the City of Buenos Aires, inaugurated a plaque to commemorate him in his mythical home of Segurola and Havana, rechristened as ¨The corner of Diego Maradona¨.His daughters and his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe paid tribute to him on social networks. ¨ A year ago the world is more horrible because you are not in it. Justice is the only thing I ask ”, wrote La Dalma. “From cradle to eternity, always with me, Pa,” wrote Giannina. And both posted the hashtag #justiciapordiegomaradona, in reference to the legal case they are carrying out for the death of the star.
Alejandro Verón, creator of the Maradoniana church in Rosario He described the anniversary as ¨A hard and sad day. We know that we have to remember him with joy but it is not an easy day ¨, and he and the parishioners paid tribute to him in different murals of the city where Messi was born.
200 Boca fans gathered in Napoli to commemorate with the Neapolitan fans the first anniversary of the death of El Pelusa. And together, the two fans sang when the bronze statue located in a memorial dedicated to Maradona was discovered, on the outskirts of the former San Paolo stadium, today renamed with the name of the Argentine idol. And the president of Napoli, Aurelio De Laurentís, deposited a flower arrangement in a sanctuary renamed ¨Largo De Diego Armando Maradona¨ (former Largo degli Artisti) where one of the most imposing murals of Diego in the city can be found.
The sculptor, Alejandro Marco installed in Salerno the sculpture ¨Diego Iluminado, a work made with lights and irons of the silhouette of the two-meter-high former soccer player, which seeks to reinforce the cultural ties between Argentina and Italy.
The football clubs of which he was part as a player and coach also honored him dedicating moving videos to him. Argentinos, Boca Juniors, Gimnasia Esgrima La Plata and La AFA were some of those who, like Napoli, paid their tribute in that emotional way.
Many are the murals that remind Maradona in the streets of Argentina
| AFP
Also former companions of football and life, they published photos and emotional messages dedicated to Diez. One of the most prominent was the message from Lionel Messi on his social networks. ¨Diego eterno¨ wrote next to an image that he can be seen with a special edition Argentine national team shirt that he wore with the Albiceleste in tribute to the soccer star. Pelé also dedicated a heartfelt tribute to him: ¨Always friends, O’Rei posts.
Diego’s sisters celebrated a mass in the Parish of San Expedito in Garín, (a church that the Ten helped financially) to commemorate the first anniversary of his death. Ana Estela, Rita Mabel la Kitty, María Rosa, Claudia Nora Cali Maradona arrived there. One of them, Ana, thanked the Argentine people at the celebration “for remembering it every day.”
One year after the death of Diego Maradona, the fans of Pelusa wanted to remember him and show that his memory is more alive than ever.
Movies, Specials, and Podcast
The Maradoniana day was also the focus of numerous audiovisual productions, movies, special shows, and even podcasts. The program ¨Relatores con vos¨ made a 24-hour program with special appearances by former soccer players, musicians, actors and writers who spoke about Maradona.
The podcast was released, ¨The last days of Maradona, hosted by Matías Martín on Spotify. And television devoted several hours of special programs to him.
