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Maradona funeral workers 'received death threats' after taking photo with Argentina legend's coffin
There has been outrage in the South American nation after an employee and his son posed next to the World Cup winner's resting place
Funeral workers who took a picture with the coffin of late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona say they have received death threats.
There has been an outpouring of grief following the death of the 1986 World Cup winner, aged 60, earlier this week.
Emotions have been especially high in Argentina, where he achieved a remarkable status for what he achieved with the national team.
Claudio Fernandez was pictured beside the coffin along with his son, who had his thumb raised. It has caused outrage in Argentina.
"My son, like every kid, raised his thumb and they took the photo," he told Radio 10. "I know that many people have been offended, they have taken it badly. They say they are going to kill us, break our heads.”
Meanwhile, the owner of the funeral parlour, Matias Picon, admits that the incident has seriously saddened them.
“The family has total confidence in us, that's why we are so affected,” he told TN. “My father is 75 years old and he is crying, I am crying, my brother too, we are destroyed.”
Maradona’s playing career saw him turn out for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla.
It was during his time with Napoli, though, that he struck his peak. He led the Naples side to a raft of titles, including two Serie A crowns, a Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup.
His most iconic moments on the field, however, were reserved for Argentina in their World Cup quarter-final encounter with England in 1986.
First, he scored his famous ‘Hand of God’ goal then minutes later embarked on one of the greatest goals in history as he left a slew of Englishman in his wake before rounding Peter Shilton and planting the ball into the net from an acute angle.
Argentina went on to win the 1986 tournament in Mexico, before reaching the final again four years later in Italy, only to lose 1-0 to West Germany.
Following his retirement from the game, he enjoyed a coaching career. He led Argentina at the 2010 World Cup finals and also charge of Al-Wasl, Fujairah and Dorados de Sinaloa. At the time of his death, he was the head coach of Gimnasia de La Plata in his homeland.
