Argentine football legend Diego Maradona dies aged 60

Football icon Diego Maradona has died. Considered one of the greatest players ever, Maradona was known for far more than his infamous 'Hand of God' incident. The 60-year-old had recently struggled with health issues.(PIC-UNI)

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has died at the age of 60, his lawyer announced Wednesday. 

Earlier this month, Maradona left hospital having undergone surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain, with his lawyer, Matias Morla, saying it was a "miracle" that the clot "which could have taken his life, was detected."

Over the last 20 years, Maradona has been admitted to hospital three times for serious health concerns due to drug and alcohol addiction. Recently, due to COVID-19, he had been forced to isolate at home.

Maradona is to be honored by a minute's silence ahead of Wednesday's Champions League games. 

Football icon

Maradona was widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, particularly for his skill with the ball at his feet.

He played for Argentina 91 times, scoring 34 goals, and was a member of the 1986 World Cup winning team in Mexico.

It was at that tournament where he scored both his most famous and infamous international goals, with the latter going on to be known as the "Hand of God," when he scored against England by striking the ball with his hand.

His club career started in Argentina before he joined Barcelona and later Italian side Napoli. His time at the Serie A club was his most successful, where he twice won the league and a UEFA Cup. 

He retired from competitive football at the age of 37 in 1997.In October 2008, Maradona was named head coach of Argentina's national team, taking them to the quarter finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where they lost 4-0 to Germany.

Maradona held various coaching positions thereafter, with moves often accompanied by more drama than success.