Goodnight Diego Maradona

*Soccer legend dies at 60

FOOTBALL legend, icon, genius, Diego Maradona walked out of the pitch of life on November 25, 2020 at aged 60.

The former Argentina striker, before his death suffered a cardiac arrest in his home in Tigre, Argentina.

His death comes two weeks after surgery following a bleed on his brain.

Maradona has suffered a long battle with his health with numerous trips to hospital as he turned 60 last month.

The footie legend had spent eight days on a ward after he was admitted for an emergency operation for a blood clot on the brain.

His lawyer Matias Morla described it as a "miracle" he was still alive just two weeks ago and described the surgery as the "most difficult moment of his life".

Maradona's ex-girlfriend insisted shortly before his subdural haematoma was discovered that he needed urgent treatment for his 'real problem' - alcohol addiction.

Rocio Oliva spent six years with the recovering drug addict and came close to marrying him before their split at the end of 2018.

LEGEND DEAD

Last November, the former footballer was forced to deny he was dying in an extraordinary video address to fans after his daughter Gianinna hinted he was being "killed from inside" with sedatives.

He also told his growing brood of children he will leave them nothing after his death because he will donate his fortune to charity.

In a video filmed from what appeared to be his home in Argentina, Maradona, said: “What I do know is that as you get older, people worry more about what you’re going to leave than what you’re doing.

“I tell you all that I’m not going to leave anything, that I am going to donate it.

"I’m not going to give away everything I earned by running during my life, I’m going to donate it.”

'HAND OF GOD'

Maradona won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and became notorious for his 'Hand of God' goal against England.

The Argentinian started his career at Boca Juniors before moving to Barcelona where he won the Copa del Rey trophy.

But he became a hero in Naples inspiring Napoli to two Serie A titles in the late 1980s.

His career also saw a spell in Spain with Sevilla before going back to Argentina with Newell's Old Boys and Boca.

Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and was the inspiration for Argentina's success in '86.

He also led the country to the final of the 1990 tournament in Italy and managed them in South Africa in 2010.

The AFA said on Twitter: "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."

England captain Harry Kane said: "Privileged to have met him. Very sad news. RIP Diego Maradona."

Diego Maradona was football’s hero, legend and famous genius

“WHEN God decides it’s time, I guess he’ll come for us.”

Diego Maradona always knew he was living on borrowed time. The only surprise was that he made it this far.

But defying the odds was a running theme in the extraordinary life of the ultimate party animal who just happened to be the greatest footballer of his time.

Now that life is over and his troubled soul is finally at rest.

The boy from the slums of Buenos Aires who grew up to be the ultimate sporting antihero has gone to meet his maker.

And maybe he will proffer that infamous hand of God to St Peter at the pearly gates.

Few people in history have ever divided public opinion as much as the man who won a World Cup almost single-handedly while blatantly cheating on and off the pitch.

Yet for those of us fortunate enough to witness Maradona in his prime, none of his flaws can detract from his genius.

The England players beaten by Argentina at the 1986 World Cup can neither forgive nor forget him for the handball which set them on their way to defeat.

But none of them were able to prevent him from scoring Fifa’s Goal of the Century on that unforgettable afternoon in Mexico’s Azteca Stadium.

And the fact that he conjured up a near carbon copy goal in the semi-final win against Belgium was confirmation that even football miracles were nothing out of the ordinary for this remarkable little man.

Short and squat, he had the stature of someone who had been hit by a lift.

In later life he ballooned to almost 21 stone, which is never a good look for a man just five feet five inches tall.

Yet his curious physique masked an incredible balance and agility which allowed him to evade opposing defenders determined to stop him at any cost.

The brutality of some of the challenges he had to endure had to be seen to be believed yet this fearless little warrior never stepped back from physical confrontation and frequently went to war with far bigger opponents.

He ended his brief and troubled spell at Barcelona by sparking a full-on riot during the final of the Copa del Rey in 1984 when he laid out two opponents and a pitch invader before being felled by a flying kick to the chest.

That was to prove the final straw for the Spanish Champions, who were happy to offload the Argentine agitator to Napoli for a world record £6.9 million fee.

And it was in Italy’s poorest and most violent city that Maradona found his spiritual home.

While the world’s best players were heading for the bright lights of Milan, Turin and Rome, Maradona was joining a lower to mid-table team who were sneered at by the rest of Serie A.

In his first game against Juventus, he was greeted with chants of “Sick with cholera, victims of the earthquake, you never washed with soap, Napoli s***, Maradona s***.”

His response to all his critics was to lead Napoli to the Italian Championship in 1987 and 1990 and the UEFA Cup in 1989.

But with success came temptation and Maradona was never one to settle for a quiet night in with his wife and daughters.

His successful return from the 1986 World Cup was marred by the birth of an illegitimate son who he refused to acknowledge for more than 30 years.

His friendship with Camorra crime boss, Carmine Giuliano was an open secret and so was a cocaine addiction which was rapidly spiralling out of control.

Yet somehow he managed to evade the drug testers until 1991, allegedly with the help of team-mates who would provide a urine sample on his behalf.

But when Maradona scored in the penalty shoot-out to knock Italy out of the 1990 World Cup semi-finals, even the fans in Napoli’s Stadio San Paolo booed him.

Shortly afterwards he was voted the most hated man in Italy and it was then that Naples turned its back on the man who had brought so much joy to the city.

Caught ordering drugs by a police wiretapping operation, Maradona pleaded guilty to possessing and trafficking cocaine and received a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Weeks later, he failed a drugs test after Napoli’s match at Bari and was handed a 15-month worldwide ban.

That was the end of Maradona’s great Italian adventure and though he tried to prolong his career with Sevilla and Newell’s Old Boys, his career was effectively finished when he was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for ephedrine.

It was hard not to imagine that he was on something when he ran to the cameras in a wild-eyed celebration after scoring against Greece.

But few would have guessed that it was a slimming aid to help him keep his weight down.

An even bigger surprise was the decision of the Argentine FA to appoint Maradona national team manager in 2008, the equivalent of making Gazza England boss. It did not go well.

He had already suffered a heart attack as a result of a cocaine overdose by then as well as a court-ordered spell in rehab to overcome hepatitis and alcohol abuse.

Further managerial spells followed in Dubai, UAE, Belarus, Mexico and Argentina, yet his health continued to deteriorate as a result of his erratic lifestyle and days after his 60th birthday he underwent emergency brain surgery to remove a blood clot.

Doctors had been advising him for years to change his ways but there was no such thing as compromise for the little street fighter with a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other.

As he said himself: “I am black or white. I will never be grey in my life.”

Diego Armando Maradona, rest in peace.

REACTIONS

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin:  "I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Diego Maradona, one of world football’s greatest and most iconic figures. He achieved greatness as a wonderful player with a genius and charisma of his own."

AFA: "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."

Pele: "What sad news. I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend. There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to family members. One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky."

Osvaldo Ardiles: Thank dear Dieguito for your friendship, for your football, sublime, without comparison. Simply, the best football player in the history of football. So many enjoyable moments together. Impossible to say which one was the best. RIP my dear friend.

 Fabio Cannavaro: “Maradona is a God to the people of Naples. He changed history. In 80 years, we had always suffered, fighting against relegation, yet in seven seasons with him we won two leagues, a UEFA Cup, two Italian Cups. "

Cristiano Ronaldo: “Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best ever. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled. Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten.”

Gary Lineker:  “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God.”

Kylian Mbappe:  You will stay in the history of football forever. Thanks you for all the pleasure you gave to the whole world. 

Usain Bolt: Rest in Peace Legend Maradona 

FC Barca: In 1984 Diego Maradona asked Napoli & Fifa to arrange a friendly in order to help an ill child. Both refused. Maradona then organised a game on the field opposite the child's house. 4,000 people attended the game.

Lion Messi: "A very sad day for all Argentines and football. He leaves us but does not leave, because Diego is eternal. "I keep all the beautiful moments lived with him and I send my condolences to all his family and friends. RIP."

Rio Ferdinand: 'The greatest, the best, the icon'. "My first football hero", says former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand. My 1st football hero. Few people have impact over generations like this man did. The greatest, the best, the artist, the man...charismatic, a leader... A WINNER! One of the main reasons why I went out on my estate to kick a ball, pretending to be Diego. RIP Diego Armando Maradon'.

Maradona's history of drug, alcohol abuse

Maradona began taking cocaine in the mid-1980s - during the height of his playing days, going on to develop an addiction to drugs and alcohol over the next two decades.

His drug use began in 1982 and reportedly grew worse in 1984 when he moved to Napoli and had connections with the Comorra.

In 2014, Maradona said of his drug use: 'I gave my opponents a big advantage. Do you know the player I could have been if I hadn't taken drugs?'

His first real punishment came in 1991 when he was banned for 15 months by Napoli after testing positive for cocaine. Later in the same year he was arrested in Buenos Aires for possessing half a kilo of cocaine, and was given a 14-month suspended sentence.

In 1994, Maradona was back in the fold with the Argentina national team, making headlines around the world for a now-famous screaming celebration into the camera lens after a goal against Greece. His tournament was to come to an early end, though, after he was expelled days later for testing positive for five variants of ephedrine, a banned substance. He was banned for 15 months, ending his international career.

In 1995, he moved to Boca Juniors but two years later he failed a drugs test for the third time in six years, putting an end to his playing career. Officially, a 'prohibited substance' is all that has been revealed about that test, but Boca president Mauricio Macri has said in interviews that cocaine was found in a urine sample.

In 1996, Maradona said publicly: 'I was, am and always will be a drug addict.'

In 2000, the footballing legend suffered an overdose, and in 2004 he had a heart attack. A year later, he was forced to have gastric bypass surgery, and in 2007 he was back in hospital again, this time suffering hepatitis. It is then understood he stopped taking drugs, telling a journalist in 2017 that he hadn't taken drugs for 13 years and was feeling 'great'.

He has been drinking alcohol since 2004, though, hitting the headlines at the 2018 World Cup for his bizarre antics at a number of Argentina games. A video emerged of him drinking tequila on a plane, and he claimed he 'drank all the wine' ahead of their win over Nigeria.

By Emmanuel Ayomikun, with Vanguard and BBC Sports report