Argentina bid an emotional final farewell to Diego Maradona
Over a thousand people gathered on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, bidding a final farewell to football legend Diego Maradona, before he was buried. Maradona, who passed away at the age of 60, was laid to rest after a ceremony attended by family and close friends in Bella Vista cemetery outside the capital city of Argentina. Here is more.
A 63-year-old bus driver Antonio Avila expressed his grief outside the cemetery. "I thought Diego was immortal, I thought he would never die on us. I feel a terrible sadness for a person who made us so, so happy," he said.
A crowd of thousands had lined up early morning to get a glimpse of Maradona's coffin, draped in the Argentine flag and the famous number 10 jersey, at the presidential palace. However, the fans waiting outside turned hostile and chanted slogans impatiently. Some even took over a courtyard inside, thereby forcing officials to move Maradona's coffin to another room as a security precaution.
While the officials shut the doors, violent clashes erupted between the fans and police. Later on, the hearse bearing Maradona's flag-draped coffin proceeded towards the streets of Buenos Aires. The fans completely surrounded the roadsides and highway bridges as the convoy moved further.
Football legend, Maradona, passed away at the age of 60. The former Argentina mid-fielder had a successful surgery on a brain blood clot, earlier this month. After that, he had to be treated for alcohol dependency. However, he breathed his last on Wednesday, succumbing to a heart failure . Maradona led Argentina to 1986 World Cup victory, producing several superb performances.
