Now he rests in peace: The Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona was buried in a cemetery on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Before that, there had been riots and clashes between police officers and fans during the wake for the soccer star. After an eventful life between genius and madness, Diego Maradona has found his last rest: One day after his death, the legendary Argentine soccer player and national hero was buried on Thursday at the Jardín de Bella Vista private cemetery in a suburb of Buenos Aires next to his parents. Only his relatives and close friends attended the funeral. The coffin had previously been brought to the cemetery in a funeral procession from the government palace in the historic center of Buenos Aires. Numerous fans lined the route and paid their last respects to their idol.
Police put tear gas on wake for Maradona to escalate
Throughout the day, thousands of people had said goodbye to Maradona at Casa Rosada. After waiting in line for hours, they walked past the coffin covered with jerseys and a national flag. Many made the sign of the cross and threw flowers over the barrier. There were tons of calls like “Thank you, Diego” and “I love you, Diego”. Maradona died on Wednesday of a heart attack at his home in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, aged just 60. He had just been discharged from the hospital two weeks earlier after an operation for a blood clot in the brain. The former top athlete has had to struggle with serious health problems over and over again in recent years.
President pays final respects
President Alberto Fernández also said goodbye to the country’s most famous son. He hugged Maradona’s daughters Dalma and Gianinna and put a jersey from Maradona’s first club, Argentinos Juniors, and a headscarf from the human rights group Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo on the coffin. Vice President Cristina Fernández took Maradona’s ex-wife Claudia Villafañe in her arms and draped rosaries on the coffin.
The tragedy of Diego Maradona Much too unstable for a life as a pop star
The first team from Gimnasia y Esgrima also paid their last respects to Maradona. The 1986 world champion took over the team from La Plata as a coach in a difficult situation last year. On his 60th birthday on October 30th, he had seen the team play for the last time. Even then, Maradona made an extremely battered impression and had to be supported by companions while walking. Towards the end of the wake, some fans broke into the government palace by force because they feared they would not be allowed to see their idol’s coffin. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Violent clashes also broke out in the surrounding streets. Angry fans threw stones and bottles at the police, the officers fired rubber bullets into the crowd and used water cannons. Eventually the government palace was closed and the wake was called off.