Naples’ mayor begins process to rename stadium for Maradona

The mayor of Naples started the formal process to rename the San Paolo stadium for Diego Maradona on Thursday. “We are already putting it together this morning, taking the first steps to dedicate Naples’ stadium to Maradona,” Luigi De Magistris said. However, fans were already outside the stadium late Wednesday and into Thursday morning waving banners, singing songs and lighting flares in Maradona’s honor -- even though gatherings are technically banned in the city, which is located in a coronavirus “red zone.” “Maradona is like a father, like a brother, a family member for us,” said one fan outside the stadium, ccRaffaele Cuomo. READ: Diego Maradona dies aged 60 after cardiac arrest “He loves Naples and so he wanted to — via soccer — make the world know about a city full of humanity, affection, energy and fantasy. “Even today I see young kids who didn’t, like my kids, who still have Maradona in their minds and in their hearts.” Il Mattino, Naples’ leading newspaper, had a front-page headline Thursday that said simply, “Grazie” — “Thank You.” The Gazzetta dello Sport, the country’s leading sports newspaper, dedicated its first 23 pages to Maradona.