Diego Maradona dead: Argentine football legend and one of game’s greatest ever players passes away aged 60

Maradona had only recently left hospital where he had undergone surgery on a blood clot in his brain.

The Argentinian Football Association announced on Wednesday evening that he had tragically passed away.

The AFA said: “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.”

One of the greatest players in football history, his death will be mourned far beyond his homeland, where he enjoyed god-like status.

A short and tenacious playmaker renowned for his incredible dribbling skills and ability to create something out of nothing for himself and his teammates, Maradona helped win titles at every club he played for in Argentina, Italy and Spain.

He played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico where he captained his nation to victory and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

He also managed Argentina between 2008–2010, leading them at the 2010 World Cup.

Maradona is one of the most iconic players of all time

Maradona is one of the most iconic players of all time
No match encapsulates both his genius and madness as perfectly as the 1986 quarter-final against England.

Maradona showed the world he possessed those traits in both of his goals — arguably two of the most famous goals in football history.

His first came after he punched the ball over the despairing leap of Peter Shilton and into the back of the net.

Later declaring the goal as the ‘Hand of God’, Maradona even had the audacity and arrogance to celebrate the goal in front of the same linesman who failed to see the infringement.

His second was a work of art, rightly described as ‘The Goal of the Century’ as he slalomed through the English defence before slotting home.

Maradona’s infamous handball goal against England

Maradona’s infamous handball goal against England
He went on to score one of the all-time great goals in the same game

He went on to score one of the all-time great goals in the same game
While his genius with a ball was unquestionable, Maradona’s career was blighted by controversies on and off the field.

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.