'You have to be here': Argentina's love of Maradona overcomes COVID-19 fears


A man waves an Argentina's flag outside the Casa Rosada presidential palace ahead of the wake of late soccer legend Diego Maradona, in Buenos Aires, Argentina November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentines in their thousands, wearing soccer jerseys and face masks, packed into snaking queues on the streets of Buenos Aires on Thursday to pay their last respects to flawed soccer genius Diego Maradona - despite concerns around the spread of COVID-19.

The crowds, which some expect to reach a million people to see Maradona's casket after his death on Wednesday, reflect the soccer star's status in the South American country, where he has almost cult following and is fondly known as "God".

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