The children of football legend Diego Maradona have unveiled plans for a foundation to honour the Argentine player’s legacy, which will feature a memorial site in the heart of Buenos Aires.
According to its official website, the “M10 Memorial” is slated to open in 2025 in the tourist district of Puerto Madero and is designed to accommodate one million visitors annually.
“We want our father to be close to the love of the people, and to grant the wish of all those who want to bring him a flower,” his daughter Dalma Maradona said during a presentation broadcast on YouTube Thursday.
Entry to the 1,000-square-metre area will be free for Argentines; however, those who contribute to the Maradona Foundation will have the chance to showcase their picture on a “heritage wall” at the memorial.
Earlier this month, a judge approved the relocation of Maradona’s remains from a cemetery to a mausoleum at the upcoming memorial site, allowing both residents and visitors to pay their respects to “Argentina’s great idol.”
Maradona passed away in November 2020 at the age of 60 while he was recovering from brain surgery due to a blood clot, after years of struggling with addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
He was discovered dead in bed two weeks after the surgery in a rented home located in an upscale neighborhood of Buenos Aires, where he had been taken following his hospital discharge. The cause of death was identified as a heart attack.
However, a court is also looking into whether negligence from Maradona’s medical team could have contributed to his passing.
