Diego Maradona – Does There Exist a Shrine Named After Him in Naples?

Naples, from a football perspective, is synonymous with a name. How can you describe the feeling that Neapolitans have about the number 10? 

Maradona left a lasting mark on Naples to this day. Walking through the historic center and the surroundings of the recently renamed Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, the love Neapolitans feel for one of their greatest idols, not just in football, is palpable.

In this article, we'll describe the Maradona murals in Naples and the Maradona shrine in one of the city's iconic bars. Let's find out!

1) Maradona's Story in Naples

To review the history of this love, we need to look at the statistics. Maradona joined Napoli in 1984 and played until 1991. Napoli won the Italian league titles twice whilst Diego Maradona was playing for the team. 

It wasn't until 2012 that Napoli won the Coppa Italia again, a title they would repeat twice more, in 2014 and 2020. In 2023, they won the Italian league for the third time, the only time without Maradona. It took many years for the club to win any title.

Numbers that speak for themselves. This, regardless of whether he's one of the best soccer players in history, or perhaps the best, is demonstrated on the green grass.

2) The Idolatry of Maradona in Naples

But beyond the numbers, Neapolitans idolize Maradona because he's not just an idol in football. And here lies perhaps the strongest point, which has to do with social issues: the dignity of Napoli was apparently restored due to the winning of various Italian League titles under Diego. A city that has lived and continues to live is relegated with northern cities like Milan and Turin.

It was the moment when the south defeated the north, when Napoli beat Juventus or Milan, when the poor defeated the rich. The moment when Neapolitans felt superior, a thirst for revenge against those from the north. Maradona served as the cornerstone of a team that competed against their northern rivals and emerged victorious. That pride is what Neapolitans feel today.

I recently watched an interview with Maradona from 2010, talking about Napoli. A couple of quotes he summarized about the Neapolitan have stuck with me. The ones that stick with me are:

The Neapolitan was tired of teams like Juve, Torino, Milan, and Inter coming to San Paolo and beating us. In those years, things turned around.

We were going to play in northern Italy, and they treated us like African blacks. My anger at the 1990 World Cup (banners in the semi-finals of the World Cup played in Naples against Italy saying, "Sorry, Diego, but we're Italian") was because the Neapolitans were led to believe for 30 days that they were treated the same as those from the north.

Those of us who played on that team are idols in Naples. But as time goes on, we'll become even more idols. I don't think Napoli can win back what they won that time.

3) Maradona's Murals in Naples

If you walk through the streets of the historic center, you'll see murals of Maradona every 500 or 600 meters. The face of Maradona shouting a goal in a Napoli jersey, raising the 1986 World Cup with the Argentine national team, and mentioning Maradona's creation of Calcio.

Many businesses even have posters with the cover of the Gazzetta dello Sport the day Maradona arrives at Napoli. Yes, incredible!

In addition, since Maradona's death, the stadium formerly known as San Siro has been renamed Diego Armando Maradona, and there is a monument in his honor outside the stadium where Neapolitans leave flowers, phrases, and Argentine and Neapolitan flags.

4) Maradona Shrine in Naples

Yes, Maradona even has a shrine in Naples. Bar Nilo, located on Piazzetta Nilo in the heart of the historic center, is a small café with something distinctive about it. Its owner, a Naples fan, created a sort of Maradona shrine with candles, the image of the number ten, stamps, banknotes, flags, and paintings.

The Ten Commandments of the Maradona Church can be found in the temple.

It's even said that one of the jars contains the idol's tears. To enter, you only need to make a drink (a coffee is enough), although it's also worth speaking to the bar owners, who are true Neapolitans. Especially if you tell them you're Argentinian.

It's a pleasure to be Argentine in this city, because when they ask where you're from and the answer is Argentine, the first word in Neapolitan is MARADONA.