Napoli players donned Diego Maradona No.10 shirts prior to their Europa League clash with HNK Rijeka on Thursday.
The Argentine football legend, who guided Napoli twice to their only Serie A titles, died at the age of 60 after suffering a cardiac arrest on Wednesday.
Getty Images - Getty
Getty Images - Getty
Maradona scored 81 goals in 188 league games during a six-year spell from 1984 with Napoli.
He is the club’s greatest ever player and the Serie A giants paid tribute to him prior to kick-off against HNK Rijeka.
Napoli stars wore the Maradona shirts while a pre-match minute’s silence was held, before changing into their usual kit.
Fans also gathered outside the Stadio San Paolo to remember their star man.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed the club’s stadium name would be changed from Stadio San Paolo to Diego Armando Maradona.
He said: “I’ve been in talks with local authorities for the past 17 years, I have always asked to buy the stadium and rename it ‘Diego Armando Maradona’.
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“If then, for tradition, we will need to call it both ‘San Paolo’ and ‘Maradona’ so be it.
“It won’t change much, but it’s only right that Maradona has this recognition. Even if we were to build a whole new stadium, I would name it like that.”
Naples city mayor Luigi De Magistris backed De Laurentiis’ plans.
He said: “Within 10 to 15 days, in a very short time frame, we will close the formal practice.
”We will rename this stadium that is part of our life and our history to the greatest player of all time.
“It’s a process but it will be a quick process, because when there is such a strong desire there’s nothing that will hold us back. We’re hoping to make it coincide with the resumption of games with fans.”
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