Argentinians bid farewell to football legend Diego Maradona outside Presidential palace

Argentina's favourite son Diego Maradona was buried on Thursday in the outskirts of the city in a private ceremony attended by only a few people.

The ceremony was attended by family and close friends in the Bella Vista cemetery outside Buenos Aires.

Only family members and close friends were permitted at Jardin Bella Vista cemetery for the final religious ceremony and burial of Maradona next to the graves of his parents, Dalma and Diego.

Fans waving Argentine flags had gathered along roads as Maradona's funeral car drove by under heavy security. Many tried to touch the vehicle whenever it was stopped by traffic.

Thousands of people had queued from early morning, draped in the Argentine flag and the player's No.10 jersey, at the presidential palace.

As the day passed, fans queuing outside the palace grew increasingly impatient, and some took over a courtyard inside, where they chanted slogans, forcing officials to move Maradona's coffin to another room as a security precaution.

Despite an earlier announcement extending the lying-in-state by several hours, officials shut the doors, and riot police clashed with stone-throwing fans on streets around the palace, arresting several people.

Later, Maradona's flag-draped coffin rolled through the gates of the presidency building and into the streets of Buenos Aires.

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Fans crowded onto roadsides and highway bridges as the funeral cortege sped towards the western outskirts, surrounded by police outriders with sirens blaring.

Dozens of photographers and cameramen followed close behind on motorcycles.

Argentina soccer legend Diego Maradona died of a heart attack on Wednesday, his lawyer said. Maradona was the Captain when Argentina won the World Cup in 1986.

Maradona, 60, had recently battled health issues and underwent emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma several weeks ago.

Soccer great Diego Maradona was released from the hospital on 12 November and taken to a recovery clinic where he could be treated for alcohol dependency, his doctor told reporters.

The former Napoli and Boca Juniors player had emergency surgery eight days ago for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain.

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