Maradona, the eternal legend: Napoli celebrates his 65th birthday | OneFootball

The memory of Diego Armando Maradona on the day he would have turned 65. Naples pays tribute with events, art, and collective memory, five years after his passing.

Maradona, the eternal legend: Naples celebrates the 65th birthday of its God of soccer

Naples wakes up today with a single thought: Diego Armando Maradona, the greatest of all time, would have turned 65. Five years after his passing, the soul of the “Pibe de Oro” continues to live in the city's alleys, in murals, in the chants of fans, and in images that populate social media.

“Diego is Diego,” the Neapolitans repeat. Because Maradona, in Naples, is not just a soccer player, but a universal symbol of redemption, passion, and talent. His figure transcends time, news, and sport itself, entering into myth.

The myth that changed the history of soccer and a city

When Maradona arrived in Naples in 1984, the world did not yet know social networks. Yet, his fame spread to every corner of the planet. With the blue number 10 jersey, Diego wrote unforgettable pages: two Scudettos, a UEFA Cup, an Italian Cup, and an Italian Super Cup.

During his Neapolitan years, he transformed a team and a city. Naples identified with him, in his way of challenging everything and everyone, in his genius and his falls. “Maradona represented the dream of redemption for an entire people,” many of his former teammates say today.

Diego's legacy: images, art, and popular devotion

Even today, in the Spanish Quarters, at Largo Maradona, and along the streets of the historic center, his presence is felt. The famous mural by Mario Filardi has become a place of pilgrimage, where every day hundreds of people bring flowers, scarves, and flags. Maradona statuettes are sold alongside those of saints, while videos of his dribbling and training to the tune of Life is Life continue to be shared by millions of fans worldwide.

A myth that has never stopped speaking to the hearts of people. “Myths never die,” write the fans on walls and commemorative posts that flood the internet today.

How Naples celebrates the birthday of the Pibe de Oro

On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of Maradona's birth, the Maradona Museum – Vignati Collection has organized a series of initiatives dedicated to his memory. Among the most anticipated events is the procession with the statue of the Pibe de Oro, a work by sculptor Domenico Sepe, which will pass through the city's most iconic streets: from Vico Cariati to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, passing by his Neapolitan home.

In the afternoon, a commemorative ceremony in Piazza San Pasquale will pay tribute to the Argentine champion with music, images, and testimonies.

“Maradona is a universal language, a symbol that belongs to everyone,” a museum spokesperson declared. “With this event, we want the whole of Naples, on the day of his birth, to feel once again part of his legend.”

A legacy that no one can erase

On November 25, 2020, the world mourned the passing of Diego Armando Maradona. But in Naples, Diego never died. He is a constant presence, an inspiration that renews itself every day among the children playing in the alleys and the fans who still shout his name at the stadium.

The city celebrates him as a modern hero, capable of uniting generations and transforming soccer into art. And so, every October 30, Naples not only celebrates a birthday: it celebrates the birth of an immortal myth.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.