MOURNERS lined the streets as Diego Maradona’s coffin was driven to the football legend’s funeral in Buenos Aires.
Grieving supporters sobbded and climbed on each other’s shoulders as the hearse drove past them guarded by a police escort.
⚠️ Read our Diego Maradona death live blog for the latest news & updates
A small group of family and friends carried Diego Maradona’s casket with the flag of Argentina draped over itCredit: Reuters
About a dozen people were present for the private religious ceremony and burial of the former forwardCredit: Reuters
The football legend was buried at t the Jardin de Paz cemetery, where his parents Dalman and Diego are also buriedCredit: AFP or licensors
Crowds lined the street to catch a glimpse of Maradona’s hearse as head towards the cemetery Credit: Reuters
A grieving football fan puts his hand on the window of the hearse carrying Maradona’s coffinCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Maradona was laid to rest next to his parents Dalma and Diego at the Jardin de Paz cemetery in the capital.
A small group of family and friends carried his casket with the flag of Argentina draped over it into the cemetery.
About a dozen people were gathered for the private religious service and burial.
His body was meant to lie in state for three days at the presidential palace after Argentina’s president Alberto Fernandez declared three days of mourning for Maradona.
But Maradona’s service was brought forward as a request of his family.
Earlier on Thursday, heartbroken fans clashed with police as they scrambled to get a glimpse of the ex-Napoli star’s casket.
Grief and passion boiled over as crowds broke through barriers and brawled with riot police near the presidential palace.
Pictures also show hordes of tearful fans surrounding a white hearse last night as they desperately hoped for a glimpse of their hero’s final journey through the capital.
This man sobs for Maradona as the hearse passes by him in Buenos AiresCredit: AFP or licensors
Hundreds of supporters crowd the road in an outpour of grief for the former forwardCredit: AFP or licensors
People stand on the bridge and the highway as a large number of security vehicles escort the football player’s hearse on the 25 de Mayo HighwayCredit: Reuters
A man with a Maradona tattoo on his back arrives at the presidential palace to get a glimpse of the casket carrying the former forwardCredit: EPA
Mourning fans climb the fence of the presidential palace to get a glimpse of the casket carrying Maradona’s body Credit: AP:Associated Press
Fans wave as the funeral procession with the casket of soccer legend Maradona leaves the presidential palace Casa RosadaCredit: Reuters
Maradona’s coffin being loaded into the hearse at the presidential palaceCredit: AFP
Fans of Maradona gather in front of the funeral chapel installed in the Casa RosadaCredit: EPA
Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets to mourn him, leaving flowers and messages at his childhood home and at Boca Juniors’ stadium.
Maradona became a star in Buenos Aires with Boca Juniors and went on to be a national hero and cultural icon in Argentina – inspiring his country to win the 1986 World Cup.
President Alberto Fernandez has decreed three days of mourning after the death of the legendary player of a suspected heart attack aged 60, on Wednesday.
“His unparalleled footballing skill transformed him into one of the best-known people in the world, crossing frontiers and being universally recognized as the world’s best player,” said the official mourning decree.
Maradona’s body lay in a wooden coffin with the blue and white national flag and an Argentina soccer jersey with the famous number 10.
It had been part of his nickname “D10S” – a play on “dios”, the Spanish word for God.
“He was someone who touched the sky with his hands but never took his feet off the ground,” President Fernandez said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of fans also congregated at other landmarks associated with Maradona.
They gathered outside the home where he was born in the Villa Fiorito neighbourhood, Argentinos Juniors’ stadium, where he began his career, La Bombonera stadium, the home of one of Boca Juniors and also at the headquarters of Gimnasia, the Argentinian club in La Plata where he was head coach before he died.
From the left: Maradona’s daughters Dalma and Giannina leaving the Casa Rosada presidential palace Credit: AFP or licensors
Hundreds came out to mourn Maradona as his body leaves the presidential palace Credit: EPA
Fans cheer on the street near Bella Vista cemeteryCredit: Reuters
Relatives and friends bury the remains of Diego Maradona while police keep fans outside the Jardin de Bellavista cemetery in Buenos AiresCredit: AP:Associated Press
The hearse carrying the casket of Diego Maradona leaves the government houseCredit: AP:Associated Press
People mourn Maradona’s death on the street near the cemetery where he is being buriedCredit: Reuters
People watch Maradona’s casket go by surrounded by police in Buenos AiresCredit: Reuters
Mourners wave at the hearse carrying Maradona’s body drives pastCredit: Reuters
Fans watch the funeral procession that moves the remains of Diego Armando Maradona from the Plaza de MayoCredit: EPA
Major athletes and world leaders, including Argentine-born Pope Francis, have paid tribute to Maradona – whose appeal and personality transcended football.
A 2005 television clip circulated in local media on Wednesday in which Maradona shared what he would say at his own funeral.
“Thank you for having played football, because it is the sport that gave me the most joy, the most freedom,” Maradona said.
“It is like touching the sky with my hands. Thanks to the ball.”
Meanwhile, all schools in Naples will be closed today in honour of their former player, with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis admitting he could change the name of the San Paolo stadium after Maradona too.
Fans flooded into the streets of the city’s Spanish Quarters, many of them lighting a candle beneath a huge mural of the Argentine in his sky-blue jersey.
“Ciao, God of Football,” read paper signs affixed to the walls of the working class neighbourhood by fans, while others left flowers and messages.
Emotional fans also gathered at Napoli’s San Paolo ground, where they left scarves, candles, photos and shirts in tribute to their hero.
Diego Maradona at Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires, lies draped in the Argentine flag and his famous No 10 shirtCredit: AFP
One fan pounds on the shield of a riot cop as they try to get a glimpse of their hero’s casket at the presidential palaceCredit: AP:Associated Press
A bloodied fan during clashes with policeCredit: AFP or licensors
One man breaks down in tears during the clashes with policeCredit: AFP or licensors
Police try to keep order against the surging throng of Maradona fansCredit: AP:Associated Press
One man embraces his screaming friend amid the chaos Credit: AP:Associated Press
Police detain a man during clashes while fans wait to enter the Government HouseCredit: AFP or licensors
Barriers are torn down and hurled towards cops Credit: AFP or licensors
Fans kick down barricades as they scramble to see Maradona’s coffinCredit: EPA
A man and woman hold hands as they come to terns with the death of MaradonaCredit: AP:Associated Press
Maradona’s coffin arrives at Argentina’s presidential palace as he will lie in state of three days alongside three days of mourning in ArgentinaCredit: Reuters
Napoli fans set off red smoke at a mural to their hero in the cityCredit: AP:Associated Press
A man wipes away tears in front of a giant mural of MaradonaCredit: AP:Associated Press
A woman struggles to hold back tears as she gathers with other fans at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Buenos Aires, Credit: Reuters
Fans paying tribute to the player at a stadium named after him in Buenos AiresCredit: AP:Associated Press
Maradona had recently undergone surgery for a bleed on the brain when he fell ill this week.
Nine ambulances were sent to Maradona’s house in the exclusive gated residential neighbourhood of San Andres north of Buenos Aires.
Local reports said one of the nurses caring for him had raised the alarm after discovering he had suffered a suspected heart attack.
None of the medical responders who rushed to the house were able to do anything to save him.
The preliminary autopsy has found Maradona died in his sleep after suffering heart failure which caused a pulmonary edema.
Medics are also said to have detected dilated cardiomyopathy, a medical condition in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged and cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body.
Pulmonary edema, fluid accumulation in the lung’s tissue and air spaces, are caused by heart problems in most cases.
A kneeling fan mourns the death Maradona at the entrance to the Boca Juniors stadiumCredit: AP:Associated Press
The shrine with pictures of Maradona in the backgroundCredit: AP:Associated Press
Fans stand beneath a mural of the legend in ArgentinaCredit: AFP or licensors
Maradona’s psychologist Carlos Diaz and a psychiatrist named as Agustina Cosachov arrived at the home in the exclusive gated estate where he had been resting since being discharged from hospital.
“They went to his bedroom on a ground floor and spoke to him and he didn’t reply and they asked his nephew and an assistant to enter the room,” according to the report leaked to Argentinian media.
The reports added: “They tried to wake him up and after failing to detect any vital signs made an unsuccessful attempt to revive him by practising CPR.
”The first emergency medical responders on the scene continued the attempts to revive Maradona along with a surgeon who lives near the property, using adrenaline and atropine which is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of low heart rate.”
Reportedly the last person to see him alive was his nephew Johnny Esposito.
And the football legend’s last words were that he didn’t feel well and was going to lie down again.
Tearful fans mourn Maradona in Argentina Credit: AFP or licensors
A fan with a tattoo of Maradona on his chestCredit: AFP or licensors
Candles were lit as Argentinians mourned the iconic playerCredit: AP:Associated Press
Fans gathered at the entrance of the Boca Juniors La Bombanera stadium to sing football chantsCredit: AFP or licensors
Argentina’s former manager Cesar Luis Menotti paid tribute to Maradona by saying: “I’m devastated. I can’t believe it. I’m absolutely gutted. There’s no more I can say at this moment.
“I thought at first the news of his death was fake news but obviously it’s what happened. It’s terrible and a tragic surprise because measures had been taken to make sure he was being looked after.”
Meanwhile, president Fernandez tweeted a picture of him hugging Maradona alongside a heartfelt message.
It said: “You took us to the top of the world. You made us immensely happy. You were the greatest of all.
“Thank you for having existed Diego. We’re going to miss you forever.”
Maradona played for Napoli between 1984 and 1991, scoring 115 goals in 259 games.
He led them to two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, as well as the 1987 Italian Cup and 1989 UEFA Cup.
And president De Laurentiis has revealed he is considering changing the name of the San Paolo stadium to include Maradona.
He said: “We can consider the idea of calling our stadium San Paolo-Diego Armanda Maradona.”
Meanwhile, Italian Chamber of Deputies President Fico added: “Naples will always be grateful to you for those unforgettable years.”
A child clutches her mother Credit: AFP or licensors
Fans were seen hugging and crying in emotional scenes worldwideCredit: AFP or licensors
A man sobs outside the Marcelo Biesla stadium in RosarioCredit: Reuters
A huge flag dubbing Maradona ‘the king’ was strung up outsideSan Paulo stadium in NaplesCredit: AFP or licensors
A man walks past flowers left by a mural of the revered legend in ArgentiaCredit: AFP or licensors
Argentina president Alberto Fernandez has decreed three days of mourning for close friend Diego Maradona
Grieving fans around another mural of MaradonaCredit: AFP or licensors
Another Boca Juniors fan is overcome by grief Credit: AP:Associated Press
A man clutching his hands in prayer Credit: AP:Associated Press
Smoke bombs were also set off another mural siteCredit: AFP or licensors
Meanwhile, Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper beaten by Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, shared his memories of that game.
“For me as a goalkeeper there didn’t seem to be any danger,” he told Sky Sports News.
“He would have been offside but one of our own players, Steve Hodge, was put off balance, so he was trying to clear it and hooked it back.
“I had a split-second decision to make – do I stay on my line and let the world’s greatest player have an opportunity from 10 yards out or can I get there?
“I felt I could just get there, it was an instinct thing, but I was always second-best, I was always trying to catch up.
“I was diving a little bit flat. I knew I was going to get the ball, I think Maradona said in an interview the reason he punched it in with his hand was because he could see I was getting above him, and he couldn’t head it.
“He took a chance, it ended up in the back of the net and then he ran off to celebrate.
“You’re looking around waiting for the referee to blow his whistle as we did, and of course the rest is history.”
Diego Maradona’s craziest moments
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
