‘Gracias Diego’: Maradona’s Fans Mourn Legendary Player’s Death

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A man cries as he waits in a line outside the presidential palace to pay his final respects to Diego Maradona, in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

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Rodrigo Abd/AP

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Argentine Soccer Legend Diego Maradona Dies At 60

Thousands of fans lined up from the early hours on Thursday to file past Maradona’s wooden casket as he lay in the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace, beneath his nation’s sky-blue-and-white flag and his signature No. 10 shirt.

The facade of the pink-tinged palace was decorated with a huge black ribbon in honor of the audaciously skillful player who rose from poverty to stardom at a young age, and became a national hero by leading Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986.

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Mourners embrace as they wait to see Diego Maradona lying in state outside the presidential palace in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

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The Picture Show
Photos: Remembering Maradona, Latin America’s Patron Saint Of The Pitch

As the morning grew longer, a pile of red roses, banners, scarves and shirts formed alongside Maradona’s coffin, thrown there by mourners. Some grieving fans carried banners simply saying «Gracias Diego.

«Maradona for me is the greatest thing that happened to me in life. I love him as much as my father and it’s like my old man died, Cristian Montelli, a 22-year-old supporter with a Maradona tattoo, told Reuters.

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Police block soccer fans waiting to see Diego Maradona lying in state in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

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Fans line up to pay respects to Diego Maradona at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

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Fans line up to pay respects to Diego Maradona at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

Natacha Pisarenko/AP

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic — which has claimed more than 37,700 Argentine lives — a large throng of supporters also congregated at Buenos Aires’ landmark Obelisk monument to sing songs, flourish flags and chant.

Maradona’s burial is expected to be held on Thursday evening at the Bella Vista cemetery on the outskirts of Buenos Aires where his parents are also buried. Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández has declared three days of national mourning, saying Maradona had made Argentines «intensely happy and describing him as «the greatest of them all.

Although that claim is disputed by many in Argentina’s neighboring Brazil — a fierce soccer rival, where Pelé is widely seen as the world’s best-ever player — the Brazilian media marked Maradona’s passing with numerous pieces extolling his exceptional talents.

«Farewell, Brother, said Thursday’s front-page headline in the Rio de Janeiro tabloid O Dia.