Thousands of Fiorentina supporters gather outside Davide Astori’s funeral to give him a spine-tingling send off

by Brooks Peck

A boisterous farewell to a beloved footballer and symbol of the club

(Fiorentina/Twitter)

The shocking death of 31-year-old Fiorentina captain Davide Astori has prompted tributes from around the world in recent days, but the people of Florence saved the grandest farewell for last.

At the conclusion of Astori’s funeral, his casket was carried out to the steps of the Basilica Santa Croce as an estimated 10,000 supporters sang and cheered for their captain one last time. They waved flags and filled the piazza with purple smoke and the sounds of their appreciation for Astori.

Representatives of every Serie A club were present at the funeral, including members of Juventus, who traveled from their Champions League match in London for the occasion. The Fiorentina supporters applauded their presence.

“Florence’s city government declared Thursday a day of mourning, with schools and businesses asked to observe one minute’s silence at 12:00 GMT,” reports the BBC, but if the size of the crowd in the Piazza Santa Croce is any indication, everyone in town was there chanting “There’s only one captain”—a chant that will continue to reverberate around the Stadio Artemio Franchi, keeping Astori’s memory alive for years to come.