The cult of Maradona runs strong in Naples, a year after his death

A life-size bronze statue of the late Diego Maradona by Italian sculptor Domenico Sepe is seen at the Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples. Photo: AFP

It is almost 30 years since Diego Maradona ended his remarkable playing spell at Napoli but a year on from his death at the age of 60 the Argentine great is as present as ever in the Neapolitan world.

His name is stitched on to shirts, daubed on the walls of the southern Italian city and etched into the hearts of the people, many of whom are too young to have ever seen him play.