Diego Maradona’s Legacy Lives On in Immersive Barcelona Exhibit
Argentine football legend Diego Maradona’s spirit is alive and well in an immersive exhibition currently underway in Barcelona. The “Diego Vive” (“Diego Lives” in English) exhibit transports visitors into the world of the late player, featuring a hologram of Maradona and a reconstruction of his childhood home.
After successful runs in Naples and Tel Aviv, the exhibition has arrived in Barcelona, where Maradona spent two injury-marred seasons with FC Barcelona in the early 1980s. Spread over 2,000 square meters in central Barcelona, the exhibit greets visitors with a hologram of a young Maradona adorned in a Boca Juniors jersey, the club where he won his only Argentine league title.
Visitors can immerse themselves in Maradona’s world by taking a penalty kick in his style or recreating his infamous “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup. The exhibition also showcases a collection of photos, an immersive video show narrating Maradona’s life story, and a reconstruction of his childhood home in the Villa Fiorito shanty town on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
“When you are here, you feel again that Diego is next to you, and that is the idea, to feel him,” said Avelino Tamargo, one of the creators of the exhibition. The exhibit is supported by Maradona’s family, who lost him in 2020 at the age of 60 after a battle with addiction and health issues.
Maradona’s legacy extends beyond the football field. In Argentina, he is revered as a national hero, alongside Che Guevara and Eva Peron. His impact on the sport and his country continues to inspire generations.
