Argentines bid final farewell to Maradona as national mourning begins

26/11/2020 19:13

        Argentines will formally bid farewell on Thursday to one of the nation's favorite sons, soccer great Diego Maradona, a beloved athlete whose life was marred by struggles with addiction.
        
        Maradona, who died aged 60 following a heart attack at home on Wednesday, will lie in state at the pink-hued Casa Rosada presidential palace from Thursday through Saturday. Huge crowds are expected to visit his casket as part of three days of national mourning declared by President Alberto Fernandez.
        
        Major athletes and world leaders, including Argentine-born Pope Francis, have paid tribute to Maradona.
        
        Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets on Wednesday to mourn him, leaving flowers and messages at his childhood home and former soccer club Boca Juniors.