Three funeral workers have been fired after taking selfies, which later emerged online, of football icon Diego Maradona alongside his open coffin. 

Images emerged online of the trio taking selfies of Maradona alongside his open coffin. According to report by Sky News, funeral worker Claudio Fernandez spoke to a local radio station stating that he, his son and another co-worker, have been fired from Sepelios Pinier Funeral Parlour.

What caused the outrage was the fact the trio were seen posing alongside the deceased body smiling and holding their thumbs up and touching the forehead of the late icon just moments before his funeral, IOL reports.

The owner of Sepelios Pinier Funeral Parlour told the publication that the trio were outsourced workers and were hired to help prepare the body and carry the casket of the late icon.

Fernandez further adds that since the images emerged online, football fans have not taken lightly to the incident and have reacted with death threats.

“We were getting ready to take Diego to the wake and my son, being a typical youngster, made the thumbs up sign and had his photo taken,” he told the radio station, Radio Diez.

He has appealed to the public for forgiveness, stating that he is an old friend of the family and that his son, Ismael, was being like any 18-year-old and that no disrespect was intended.

Taking to Twitter, Matias Morla, who is Maradona’s longtime lawyer has stated that the memory of his late friend has been chastised and that the perpetrator behind the images will be held responsible for their actions.

Maradona was laid to rest next to the graves of his parents in a private ceremony.