Napoli renames stadium after late club legend Diego Maradona

The Stadio San Paolo will now be known as the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, after the Napoli city council approved the resolution.

Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis had proposed renaming the stadium in an open letter after Maradona's death.

Italian club Napoli renamed its stadium in honor of former captain Diego Maradona on Friday.

The Naples city council unanimously approved the change of name from Stadio San Paolo to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. "Napoli is delighted about today’s decision,” the club said in a brief online statement.

 

Maradona died last week aged 60 in his native Argentina. Fans gathered in their thousands at Napoli’s stadium to mourn him, leaving candles, flowers, pictures and notes.

In a seven-year stint at Napoli from 1984-91, Maradona led the club to its only Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, the Italian Cup in 1987, and its only major European title, the UEFA Cup, in 1989.

 

The day after his death, Maradona was honored by Napoli at its Europa League match against HNK Rijeka when every player wore a shirt inscribed with ‘Maradona 10.’