Footballing legend Diego Maradona dies aged 60

The Argentinian suffered a heart attack

Maradona pictured in 2019
Author: Chris MaskeryPublished 25th Nov 2020
Last updated 25th Nov 2020

Argentinian footballing legend Diego Maradona, who won the 1986 World Cup, has died after a heart attack at his home.

He'd recently been successfully treated for a blood clot in his brain.

The Argentian FA tweeted saying:

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 heart

Maradona captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup, and is regarded as one of the best footballers of all time.

Tributes to Diego Maradona

Many from the world of football have paid tribute to one of the legends of the game:

Marcus Rashford called him legendary:

Gary Lineker called him the best player of his generation:

England Captain Harry Kane said it was a privilege to have met him:

Maradona: A controversial global star

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.

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 throughout his life. He was also banned from football in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine while playing for Napoli.

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.

Remembering all of the famous people we've sadly lost in 2020:

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