If there is a position abroad of Argentina that will probably equate, or perhaps even surpass, the outbreak of mourning of Diego Maradona is in Naples.
While Maradona is respected around the world as perhaps the greatest football player of all time, in Naples he is more than that.
Maradona was treated as a deity for the way he led Napoli to his only two Serie A titles, in 1987 and 1990, and lifted the spirit of the southern Italian city, which remains geographically and socio-economically far from the country’s football capitals. Turin.
“Maradona was not a gambler. He represented the spirit of Naples for years,” said former Naples President Corrado Ferlaino, the club’s owner when Maradona played there.
Maradona spokesman Sebastián Sanchi said he died Wednesday of an attack on the center at the age of 60, two weeks after being discharged from a Buenos Aires hospital after a brain operation.
Upon learning of the news, thousands of Neapolitans took to the streets of the city to honor Maradona and soft candles in his memory, even though meetings are forbidden because the city is in a red domain of coronavirus. your hero’s art covering the entire sides of downtown buildings.
“It’s so touching that you can’t say it in words, you can’t,” said a local resident, Francesco Errico. “He gave us so much. It gave us incredible emotions.
The mayor of Naples, Luigi De Magistris, promptly proposed that the city’s San Paolo stadium should be renamed Maradona, and ordered that the stadium lights be on all night, even if there were no matches.
“Maradona is Napoli. La for him here is known to all,” De Magistris said. “Maradona has united the Neapolitans of the global – as enthusiasts of other teams.
“Today, all Neapolitans embrace their family, with the awareness that this embrace will never stop,” the mayor added. “Because it’s true love. Wonderful love.
Maradona, of course, already made italians cry when his Argentine national team eliminated Italy in Naples in the 1990 World Cup semi-finals. Many Naples enthusiasts applauded Maradona and Argentina, not their own country, this match.
Maradona also took Napoli to the 1989 UEFA Cup during his seven-season stay. He is also said to have become a normal cocaine addict in the city, an addiction that eventually led to his fall into football.
“Yes, he was also a debatable man, ” said De Magistris. “But for us, Maradona is the one who made Naples and the Neapolitans dream, with their genius, their uniqueness, gave us happiness. Many called their children Diego because he was able to buy a city that was targeted by prejudice and discrimination.
As a sign of mourning, Napoli replaced his same old blue logo on his Twitter account to black.
“Everyone is waiting for our words,” the club tweeted in Italian. “But what words can we use for what we are living for?Now it’s time for tears. Then it’s time for words. “
Dries Mertens, the current star of Naples, tweeted: “You were the first thing that came to mind when I signed for Naples. Wearing the blue blouse will mean even more from now on. Naples lost some of his soul today. You have. “has been and will be an inspiration to all of us. “
With 128 goals in all competitions, Mertens is the all-time top scorer in Naples, Marek Hamsik is the time with 121 and Maradona third with 115.
“If my call has already been placed next to yours, I apologize, I will never be at your level,” Mertens added. “What you did for” our “city will remain in history. It was an honor to have met you. Forever my idol.
Naples will face Croatian Rijeka in the Europa League on Thursday. San Paolo Stadium will be empty of enthusiasts for the coronavirus pandemic
But enthusiasts were already outside the stadium gates wednesday night, waving banners, singing songs and lighting flares in honor of Maradona.
“He’s more than a champion. He is a football genius, an absolute star,” said Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora, originally from Naples. It represented unparalleled dreams and hopes for the rest of the people in my city. Naples cries tonight.
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Andrew Dampf is in https://twitter. com/AndrewDampf