Naples Remembers Maradona: Statue Parades Through City on Star's 65th Birthday

On Thursday, October 30th, the city of Naples celebrated what would have been the 65th birthday of Argentine football legend, Diego Maradona.

A statue of the late icon, who died in 2020, was driven through the city streets in a car painted in Napoli's signature sky blue color. The statue was taken out of the Maradona Museum for a day-long tour.

Maradona is revered in Naples for leading SSC Napoli to their first-ever Italian Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990. Massimo Vignati, the owner of the Maradona Museum, emphasized that Maradona's "soul lives on" among the Neapolitans and that "Diego belongs to the people."

Residents also recalled Maradona's unifying influence, saying he "brought people together" and closed the gap between the north and south of Italy.