Diego Maradona Dies: Global Soccer Icon Of Argentina, Napoli & Barcelona Fame Was 60

Global soccer icon Diego Maradona died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack at his Buenos Aires home. He was 60.

The former attacking midfielder and manager had successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November and it was announced he was then to be treated for alcohol dependency.

One of the greatest players of all time, the diminutive forward was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, producing a series of captivating performances, including two famous goals against England: one a remarkable solo effort, and the other the notorious “hand of god” as Maradona described it.

The larger-than-life character, who was well known for battling personal demons of alcohol and substance addiction, was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century Award. The mesmeric dribbler, who had distinguished stints at Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli, was the first player in football history to set the world record transfer fee twice. He ended his career with 259 goals in 491 appearances.

He earned 91 caps for Argentina and scored 34 goals, and became the coach of the national team in November 2008. His managerial career took him across the globe but he could never shake his personal demons and suffered multiple health scares in recent years.

The transcendent figure was featured in multiple documentaries over the years, including most recently Diego Maradona by Asif Kapadia. The 2019 doc biopic debuted at Cannes and rolled out at multiple festivals and went on to score BAFTA and BIFA nominations.

Tributes have been pouring in for the footballing legend on social media. The Argentine Football Association tweeted that Maradona “would forever be in our hearts.”

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