a year later, “God” is everywhere

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A year after his death, which occurred on November 25, 2020, Diego Maradona remains present in the lives of millions of Argentines. Frescoes, sometimes giant, adorn the walls of popular neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, such as La Boca. Slogans “Diego lives”, “10 Eternal”, “D1OS” (pun with God and n ° 10), “Thanks Diego” juxtapose depictions of the “hand of God” goal against England in 1986, or number 10 embracing the world trophy won that same year.

“He’s an idol now gone. They couldn’t make a statue for him while he was alive, so they’re making murals for him, and they’re going to multiply.”

Sergio, 57, Maradona fan

AFP

Between his birthday – he would have been 61 at the end of October – and the anniversary of his death on November 25, Maradona is everywhere. On the screens first, with a series of Amazon in nine episodes “Sueño bendito” (blessed dream) retracing his life, and soon on Star + (Disney) a two-hour documentary in three parts “Mas allá de Diego” (Beyond Diego). “The last episode of this series airs tomorrow and shows the dark side of the ‘human’ Maradona, details for franceinfo Leo Rossi, journalist for the Argentinian television channel Cronica TV.

Because the former Napoli player also occupies part of the judicial news. In addition to the controversies surrounding her death and legacy, Maradona was recently charged with kidnapping by a Cuban, Mavys Alvarez. This week, she testified about abuses dating back to 2001 in Buenos Aires. She was sixteen at the time.

Despite these escapades, the former footballer remains idolized by part of the Argentine people. “This poses a real question: why do we forgive all these things to Diego Maradona and not to another?”, testifies journalist Leo Rossi. “A somewhat dirty god, the most human of all gods”, summed up, in his time, the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano.

The football world has massively commemorated the former Argentina coach on the occasion of his birthday on October 30. Matches ended in the 10th minute to give way to a one-minute ovation, and a Diego Maradona hologram was even played before a selection game. A “Maradona Cup” between FC Barcelona and Boca Juniors, two of its former clubs, will even see the light of day on December 14 in Saudi Arabia.

Politically, Maradona remains a true symbol. During the “Militant Day”, which gave rise to demonstrations in memory of the Peronist government (center-left populism whose name derives from the figure of Juan Peron, in power from 1946 to 1955 then from 1973 to 1974), Monday, November 15, three figures were highlighted on the t-shirts. Alongside Juan Peron and his wife Evita, was Diego Maradona. Which has never hidden his Peronist sympathies.

The irony is that this gloomy “first year without God” is also a good year for Messi’s Albiceleste. The selection has just qualified easily for the 2022 World Cup and won in July, once the idol has disappeared, the Copa America. The only trophy Maradona couldn’t bring him. The first of the selection, too, since the retirement of Pibe de Oro as a player. “Without a doubt, the death of Diego Maradona impacted Argentine society more than this victory”, concludes journalist Leo Rossi.


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