The 1986 World Cup champion earlier had an emergency operation for a subdural hematoma, which us an accumulation of blood between a membrane and his brain
Football legend Diego Maradona passed away on Wednesday due to a heart attack, according to media reports.
The 60-year-old had earlier had an emergency operation for a subdural hematoma, which us an accumulation of blood between a membrane and his brain.
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 for his brilliant skills.
Maradona was responsible for the infamous ‘Hand of God’ that eliminated England from the 1986 tournament.
Retired Brazilian soccer star Pele said it is sad to “lose friends this way.”
Maradona’s scoring prowess and flair in slaloming past opponents vaulted him into the hall of soccer fame, but he struggled to cope with the adulation and his battles with addiction became regular global news.
“The best of the lot, no question,” Brazil’s Zico, a titan of the sport in his own right, said in 2005. “I saw Maradona do things that God himself would doubt were possible.”
After retiring Maradona developed heart problems caused by cocaine addiction, and he endured wild weight and fitness swings that seemed to reflect his do-or-die attitudes to both soccer and life.
“I am black or white,” Maradona said in 2009. “I’ll never be gray.”
With agency inputs
