Four years ago, the world lost Diego Armando Maradona, the most beloved footballer of all time, symbol of Naples and its rebirth. But in the heart of the city, Diego has never disappeared: he lives as a myth, as an epic legend capable of uniting human fragility and divine greatness.
The writer Maurizio De Giovanni, a profound connoisseur of the Neapolitan soul, tells of his Diego with words that echo in the alleys of Naples. “Diego was a modern Achilles, an epic hero with his Achilles heel. He took Naples to the top of the world, but he was marked by fragility and sensitivity that made him human and close to all of us,” says De Giovanni on the occasion of the memorial organized in Portici by the fans group “Naples 1926”.
For De Giovanni, Maradona is much more than a footballer. He was an artist, a narrator who told of a Naples capable of winning. “He arrived at a time when this city was bent by earthquakes and violence. With his talent, he showed that Naples could be great, that it could end up on the front pages of newspapers for something other than crime,” remembers the writer.
Diego was the symbol of redemption for a city that, thanks to him, learned to believe in itself. “Even today, after the 2023 Scudetto, he is still the most celebrated player. The number 10 shirts continue to be the best-selling ones, because Maradona is the symbol of an identity and a hope that never fades,” explains De Giovanni.
Maradona is often compared to iconic figures such as San Gennaro, Totò or Eduardo De Filippo, but occupies a unique place in the Neapolitan pantheon. “He is the miracle that Neapolitans always wait for, the shortcut, the street kid who gets to the top without following the ordinary rules. He wasn't born here, and yet he became more Neapolitan than anyone else. He is the essence of the city: brilliant, passionate, imperfect, but capable of making the world fall in love.”
In Naples, Diego's memory lives on. Tonight, at 19 pm, in Portici, the memorial organized by the group "Naples 1926" will see the participation of historical figures of Neapolitan football, such as Corrado ferlaino, president of Napoli at the time of Maradona, and teammates like Beppe Bruscolotti, Bruno Giordano e Salvatore Bagni. During the evening, presented by Erika De Marino, people linked to Diego's values will be awarded, including Antonella Leardi e Maurizio Herculaneum, parents of victims of football-related violence.
In Fuorigrotta, in front of the stadium that bears his name, the groups of the B curve will lead a torchlight procession. In the meantime, Largo Maradona, in the Spanish Quarters, will be the heart of a spontaneous homage, a tribute to the champion who continues to live in the dreams of Naples. “Diego taught us that victory is possible, that we can overturn a destiny that seems already written,” concludes De Giovanni. “His message is universal and will continue to speak to new generations, even those who have never seen him play. Because Maradona is not just a memory: he is an eternal myth, a narrator who will never stop telling the story of Naples.”
Article published on November 25, 2024 - 10:34
This article is very interesting and makes me think about how important Maradona was for Naples and beyond. His story remains alive in the hearts of many, and the memory of him will never fade.