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Diego Maradona: Argentina
legend dies aged 60
Football
legend Diego Maradona, one of the greatest players of all time, has
died at the age of 60.
The
former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager suffered a heart
attack at his Buenos Aires home.
He had
successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November and
was to be treated for alcohol dependency.
Maradona
was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, scoring the
famous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the
quarter-finals.
Argentina
and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi paid tribute to Maradona, saying
he was “eternal”.
“A very
sad day for all Argentines and football,” said Messi. “He leaves us
but does not leave, because Diego is eternal.
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“I keep
all the beautiful moments lived with him and I send my condolences
to all his family and friends.”
In a
statement on social media, the Argentine Football Association
expressed “its deepest sorrow for the death of our legend”, adding:
“You will always be in our hearts.”
Declaring
three days of national mourning, Alberto Fernandez, the president
of Argentina, said: “You took us to the top of the world. You made
us immensely happy. You were the greatest of them all.
“Thank
you for having existed, Diego. We’re going to miss you all our
lives.”
Maradona
played for Barcelona and Napoli during his club career, winning two
Serie A titles with the Italian side. He started his career with
Argentinos Juniors, also playing for Sevilla, and Boca Juniors and
Newell’s Old Boys in his homeland.
He scored
34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, representing them in four
World Cups.
Maradona
led his country to the 1990 final in Italy, where they were beaten
by West Germany, before captaining them again in the United States
in 1994, but was sent home after failing a drugs test for
ephedrine.
During
the second half of his career, Maradona struggled with cocaine
addiction and was banned for 15 months after testing positive for
the drug in 1991.
He
retired from professional football in 1997, on his 37th birthday,
during his second stint at Argentine giants Boca
Juniors.
Having
briefly managed two sides in Argentina during his playing career,
Maradona was appointed head coach of the national team in 2008 and
left after the 2010 World Cup, where his side were beaten by
Germany in the quarter-finals.
He
subsequently managed teams in the United Arab Emirates and Mexico
and was in charge of Gimnasia y Esgrima in Argentina’s top flight
at the time of his death.
World pays tribute
Brazil
legend Pele led
tributes to Maradona, writing on Twitter: “What sad news. I lost a
great friend and the world lost a legend. There is still much to be
said, but for now, may God give strength to family members. One
day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky.”
Former
England striker and Match of the Day
host Gary
Lineker, who was part of the England
team beaten by Argentina at the 1986 World Cup, said Maradona was
“by some distance, the best player of my generation and arguably
the greatest of all time”.
Ex-Tottenham and Argentina
midfielder Ossie
Ardiles said: “Thank dear
Dieguito for your friendship, for your football, sublime, without
comparison. Simply, the best football player in the history of
football. So many enjoyable moments together. Impossible to say
which one was the best. RIP my dear friend.”
Juventus
and Portugal forward Cristiano
Ronaldo said: “Today I bid
farewell to a friend and the world bids farewell to an eternal
genius. One of the best of all time. An unparalleled magician. He
leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that
will never be filled. Rest in peace, ace. You will never be
forgotten.”
Boca
Juniors, where Maradona enjoyed two spells and finished his career,
gave “eternal thanks” to their former player.
Paris
St-Germain and Brazil forward Neymar posted a photo of him as a
youngster with Maradona, calling the Argentine a “legend of
football”.
England
captain Harry Kane and forward Marcus Rashford also paid
tribute.
Barcelona
was the first club outside of Argentina that Maradona played for.
He scored 22 goals in 36 appearances between 1982 and
1984.
Another
of Maradona’s former clubs, Napoli, paid tribute. He played for the
club between 1984 and 1991, making 188 appearances.
‘It was in football he found
his peace’ – analysis
South American
football writer Tim Vickery
He was an
everyman Argentine, who lived out a national fantasy with the way
he scored his two goals in that 1986 quarter-final win over
England.
Scoring
those goals, against that opponent, turned Maradona almost into a
deity in the eyes of some of his compatriots – with disastrous
consequences. Living the aftermath was not easy.
Without
the discipline of football, the second half of his life was a
chaotic affair.
But it
was in football that he seemed to find his peace. As a fan he would
turn up at the stadium of his beloved Boca Juniors, take off his
shirt, swirl it around his head and lead the chanting.
For many
his spontaneity and fallibility were part of the appeal.
His
admirers thrived on the way he would fall down only to get back up
again. It humanised a figure whose epic life was as mazy as one of
his left-footed dribbles.
- How
sinking England made Maradona an Argentine deity - View more on playplay.com.ng
Diego Maradona has died at the age of 60 after suffering a
cardiac arrest.
The football legend had a heart attack at his home just two
weeks after leaving hospital where he underwent surgery on a blot
clot in his brain.
![image](/2020/11/NWLR-1.jpg")
Maradona, regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all
time, helped Argentina win the World Cup in 1986, the pinnacle of
an illustrious career.
He played club football for Boca Juniors, Napoli and Barcelona
among others and was adored by millions all over the world for his
brilliant skills.
Maradona was responsible for the infamous ‘Hand of God’ that
eliminated England from the 1986 tournament.
His career was also tinged with controversy because of drug and
alcohol addiction.
The Argentine news outlet Clarin broke the news on Wednesday
afternoon UK time, describing the news of Maradona’s passing as
having a ‘worldwide impact’.
The sad news was confirmed by Maradona’s lawyer. Soon, tributes
were pouring in from all over the world of football.
Maradona left hospital on November 11 just eight days after
being admitted for emergency brain surgery.
The iconic former Argentinian footballer was driven away from
the private Olivos Clinic just before 6pm on November 11 as
hundreds of fans of photographers tried to get a glimpse of
him.
Maradona was hospitalised the previous week and had to have an
emergency operation to remove a blood clot from his brain.
Argentinian TV reporters travelling on motorbikes filmed the
ambulance carrying him leaving before following the vehicle to
transmit every inch of his journey.
His lawyer, Matias Morlahas said that the 60-year-old would
continue to receive treatment for alcohol dependency.
Maradona, who was the coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima in his home
country, had been admitted to hospital on several occasions since
his retirement. He almost died of cocaine-induced heart failure in
2000 and underwent years of rehabilitation.
Maradona, who was well known for having a wild lifestyle during
and after his playing days, had a gastric bypass operation to lose
weight in 2005 and was once more hospitalised two years later for
alcohol-induced hepatitis.
He also fell ill at the last World Cup in Russia, where he was
filmed passing out in an executive box when Argentina took on and
beat Nigeria in Group D.
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