Diego Maradona passed away on Wednesday in his home in Tigres, Buenos Aires, at the age of 60.
The Argentine was one of the greatest if not the greatest footballer to ever play the game, and his personality off the pitch was as strong as his ability on it.
Maradona’s story in Spain can be split into three parts.
In 1982, he played in the World Cup hosted there. After its culmination, he signed for Barcelona, where he spent two seasons. A decade after that World Cup, he joined Sevilla, where he spent a year.
His time in Spanish football both preceded and followed his peak, but he’s still someone who left a significant mark on the game in the country.
This weekend, all La Liga games will be preceded by a moment of silence in his memory.
Maradona died of a heart attack just a few weeks after successfully undergoing surgery for a brain clot.
In a style that is typical of Maradona, however, there was massive controversy in Argentina surrounding the funeral.
A funeral home worker who was in charge of preparing the body took and shared a photo of himself and his colleagues posing with Maradona’s cadaver as reported by Diario AS.
The dissemination of the photograph has produced uproar in Argentina, with Matias Morla, Maradona’s lawyer and close friend, denouncing the act and promising it won’t go unpunished.
“I’m going to personally take care of finding the scoundrel who took that photography,” Morla wrote. “All those responsible for such an act of cowardice will pay.”
Ante la viralización de una imagen de Diego en su lecho de muerte, me voy a ocupar personalmente de encontrar al canalla que tomo esa fotografía. Van a pagar todos los responsables de semejante acto de cobardía.
— MATIAS MORLA (@MatiasMorlaAb) November 26, 2020
The funeral home worker was fired immediately as the news surfaced, but that hasn’t quelled the outrage.
Argentines are raging on social media at his despicable act.
Featured image courtesy of The Hindu Times.
