Updated 3:48 PM ET, Wed November 25, 2020
Diego Maradona, a colorful and beloved soccer icon regarded as one of the greatest ever to play the game, has died of a heart attack at the age of 60, his lawyer confirmed to CNN.
Maradona is best known for captaining Argentina to victory at the 1986 World Cup, where he was named the tournament’s best player and scored two of its most famous goals. In his professional career, he was twice sold for a world-record transfer fee: to Barcelona in 1982 and then to Napoli in 1984. He played 188 games with Napoli, winning two Serie A titles and a UEFA Cup for the Italian club.
Following a failed drug test in 1991 and a 15-month ban from the sport, Maradona’s playing career fizzled out. He would later turn to management.
In 2008, Maradona became Argentina’s manager and led the team at the 2010 World Cup, where it was eliminated in the quarterfinals. He held various managerial jobs over the past decade, including stints in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. At the time of his death, he was in charge of Gimnasia y Esgrima, a club in Argentina’s first division.
Earlier this month, Maradona underwent successful surgery for a subdural hematoma — more commonly known as a blood clot on the brain.
You may also like
-
Super League: UEFA forced to drop disciplinary proceedings against remaining clubs
-
Simone Biles says she ‘should have quit way before Tokyo’
-
Kyrie Irving: NBA star the latest to withhold vaccination status
-
Roger Hunt: English football mourns death of Liverpool striker and World Cup winner
-
‘Every single time I lift the bar, I’m just lifting my country up’: Shiva Karout’s quest for powerlifting glory