After a final tribute fervently paid by thousands of fans, Diego Maradona was buried at around 8 p.m. (midnight, Paris) on Thursday in a private family ceremony in a cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A religious service was given before the remains of the football legend, who died at the age of 60 of a heart attack, was buried in a family vault alongside his parents.
The hearse carrying the coffin covered with the Argentinian flag had left the presidential palace at the end of the day, greeted by thousands of people along the roads before the final ceremony, 47 km away.
In relative privacy, since the ceremony was filmed by drone and broadcast on television.
On the road to the cemetery, in Buenos Aires.
AFP / Raul FERRARI / TELAM
Scuffles
Several incidents had previously tarnished the moment of collection, on the outskirts of the “Casa Rosada”, the seat of the Argentine presidency where a fiery chapel had been organized.
The coffin had in particular to be moved, according to a government source, raging supporters having invaded the courtyard of the presidency.
Clashes have also erupted on several occasions in the adjacent streets with the police who used rubber bullets and tear gas in exchange for projectiles of all kinds.
Clashes broke out between fans and police./REUTERS/Matias Baglietto
The tribute must have seemed frustrating to many, as not all fans were able to bow to the coffin.
During this funeral vigil, the latter had been covered with the Argentinian flag and the various jerseys of the teams for which Maradona played, in particular those of the Argentine selection and Boca Juniors flocked with the mythical number 10.
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