Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Argentines celebrate 'eternal love' for Maradona with tattoos

by REUTERS

BUENOS AIRES Dec 01, 2020 - 4:05 pm GMT+3
Maximiliano Fernando, a fan, has an image of number 10 related to Maradona's former shirt number tattooed on his arm, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 28, 2020. (REUTERS PHOTO)
Maximiliano Fernando, a fan, has an image of number 10 related to Maradona's former shirt number tattooed on his arm, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 28, 2020. (REUTERS PHOTO)
by REUTERS Dec 01, 2020 4:05 pm
RECOMMENDED
Mongolian-born grand sumo champion yokozuna Hakuho performs the New Year's ring-entering rite at the annual celebration for the New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 9, 2018. (EPA Photo).

Knee issues force greatest-ever sumo champion Hakuho to retire

SUMO

Under his shirt, pizza shop owner Guillermo Rodriguez is a walking shrine to Diego Maradona. His entire back is covered in tattoos depicting the soccer great, whose death last week at the age of 60 inspired enormous grief in Argentina and beyond. "It is something beautiful to live with him, so for us he did not die, he will continue being there for all of us, the love we have is eternal," said Rodriguez, whose pizza store is called "Siempre al 10," referring to Maradona's jersey's number.

The death of Maradona has highlighted the almost cult-like adoration that grew up around the player nicknamed "el dios" (or God), who mesmerized on the pitch and inspired fans off it despite long, public battles with addiction.

Argentina declared several days of national mourning for him, and his body lay in state at the presidential palace.

"For a woman in childbirth, it is very painful. For me, I felt that pain the day that Maradona died. The grief is enormous," said Cintia Veronica, who showed tattoos of Maradona on her arm, at her home in Buenos Aires. "Having that tattoo now, in this moment, is to feel that he (Maradona) is alive. I feel that he is alive."

A few days after Maradona's death, fan Maximiliano Fernando is in a tattoo parlor in Buenos Aires and showing off tattoos of the player on his arm, including images where Maradona is in mid-stride, and another he is holding the World Cup aloft. "Having tattoos of Diego for me is the greatest thing there is," said Fernando, whose bedroom walls are lined with pictures and shirts of the player. "I'm going to take him to the grave."

Maradona won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and sparkled for Italian side Napoli, where he became a legend for his skills and representing Naples in Italy's poorer south. His image still appears drawn large on murals in the city.

In Argentina, fans have even named their children after the player, including twin girls Mara and Dona. "It is love, it is my great love, my passion to have Diego (on my body) so he is always with me everywhere. I feel like he protects me," said Nerea Barbosa, showing photos of the star. "When I got the tattoo, many told me no, that it was not for a woman and a tattoo like that was so grotesque," said Barbosa, adding that she felt both a feminist and a "Maradonian." "I say he was an idol for women too."

Maradona's death is likely to spark something of a battle over his legacy and inheritance. He has some eight children from Argentina to Cuba and Italy, with other paternity claims. Nonetheless, his wild behavior in some ways endeared him even more with supporters, giving him an everyman feel of fallibility that has ingrained him into the national psyche. "In reality, I don't think about what people say, whether he's good or bad or whether he's an inspiration or not," said Matias Disciosia, with a huge tattoo of Maradona's name and the number 10 on his back. "Everything related to Maradona is a source of inspiration for those who feel him and carry his soul." Devotee Luciano Zarate agreed. "Maradona's tattoo for me was so I could have him all the time with me because he was my childhood," he said. "Maradona was my childhood and adolescence. For me, he is everything."

RECOMMENDED
Mongolian-born grand sumo champion yokozuna Hakuho performs the New Year's ring-entering rite at the annual celebration for the New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 9, 2018. (EPA Photo).

Knee issues force greatest-ever sumo champion Hakuho to retire

SUMO
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    maradona tattoo argentina football
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Rescue teams gather in Istanbul Airport to head to zones hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in southeastern Türkiye. (DHA Photo)

    Condolences messages pour for victims of quake in SE Türkiye

    earthquake
    No Image

    Want to help earthquake victims in Türkiye? Here's how 

    earthquake-in-türkiye

    Earthquakes in Türkiye moved Anatolia up to 10 meters: Seismologist

    türkiye

    Death toll from deadly quakes in Türkiye surpasses 12,000

    türkiye
    No Image
    Christmas, COVID and vaccines: Top pictures of the week
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021