Diego Maradona dies aged 60

Former Argentina player and manager Diego Maradona has died aged 60, the Argentinian Football Association has announced.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Argentina World Cup winner and the national team’s former manager had been in hospital in Buenos Aires after surgery to remove a blood clot on the brain earlier this month.

The AFA said on Twitter: “The Argentine Football Association, through its president Claudio Tapia, expresses its deepest sorrow for the death of our legend, Diego Armando Maradona. You will always be in our hearts.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and was the inspiration for Argentina’s World Cup success in Mexico in 1986. He also led the country to the final of the 1990 tournament in Italy and managed them in South Africa in 2010.

Fans hold a jersey with the face of Diego Maradona at Clínica Olivos on November 03, 2020 in Olivos, Argentina. Personal doctor of Maradona, Leopoldo Luque, confirmed the former footballer was to undergo surgery to treat a clot in his brainFans hold a jersey with the face of Diego Maradona at Clínica Olivos on November 03, 2020 in Olivos, Argentina. Personal doctor of Maradona, Leopoldo Luque, confirmed the former footballer was to undergo surgery to treat a clot in his brain
Fans hold a jersey with the face of Diego Maradona at Clínica Olivos on November 03, 2020 in Olivos, Argentina. Personal doctor of Maradona, Leopoldo Luque, confirmed the former footballer was to undergo surgery to treat a clot in his brain

Maradona’s successes made him a global star and a national hero in Argentina but his career was also blighted by controversies on and off the field.

His ‘Hand of God’’ goal against England in the 1986 quarter-finals, when he pushed the ball into the net with his hand, earned him infamy – although he followed up by scoring the “goal of the century”, a remarkable solo effort, in the same game.

His international playing career ended in shame when he failed a drugs test at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and he was notorious for a wayward lifestyle. He was also banned from football in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine while playing for Napoli.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, he remained a revered figure at the Italian club, where he won two Serie A titles.

He also played for Barcelona, Sevilla, Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys and was most recently manager of Gimnasia y Esgrima in La Plata, Argentina.

It is thanks to our loyal readers that we can continue to provide the trusted news, analysis and insight that matters to you. For unlimited access to our unrivalled local reporting, you can take out a subscription here and help support the work of our dedicated team of reporters.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.