Diego Maradona: soccer legend dies at 60

Status: 8:31 pm | Reading time: 4 minutes

rehe world of football is in mourning for Diego Armando Maradona. The former Argentine world footballer has died at the age of 60. According to media reports, the national hero suffered cardiac arrest. More recently, the 1986 world champion had to undergo an operation due to a blood clot in the brain.

Maradona walked the fine line between genius and madness throughout his life. Just as the spectators admired his soccer brilliance on the field, they also watched his dissolute life outside the stadium. See Maradona’s hectic life in pictures here:

Regeneration in 1980: the young Maradona in his hotel room with the Argentine National Team. At the age of 20, he had already been voted South American Footballer of the Year.

First European appearance: In August 1982, Maradona played for FC Barcelona at SV Meppen. It is said that the entire city was at the stadium back then to see the world star perform magic. The Catalans won 5-0 at that time.

One of the first photos that Maradona shows in Naples. In 1984, the 1.65 meter coach moved from FC Barcelona to Italy and since then delighted the Tifosi with his tricks on the ball.

Maradona celebrated the greatest triumph of his career in 1986 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Following a 3-2 victory over Germany in the World Cup final, the midfield wizard lifted the gold trophy.

The final sequence of perfection. In the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals against England, Maradona had dribbled the ball across the field to finally hit the ball past goalkeeper Peter Shilton in goal. For many, one of the most beautiful goals in the history of football.

Two of the greatest of all time: Maradona and Pelé. In 1987, the two legends met in the international match between Italy and Argentina in Zurich. Shortly after Maradona’s death, the Brazilian superstar expressed his condolences in touching words. He wished they could soon play soccer together in heaven.

The national hero arrested. Maradona in front of a Buenos Aires police station. the then 31-year-old was arrested because they had found half a kilogram of cocaine on him.

Maradona at the 1994 World Cup in the United States at age 34. In the 4-0 game against Greece, the world of football saw the genius in excellent physical condition. Maradona capped his remarkable performance with the goal to make it 3-0. However, in a urine sample obtained after the second match of the tournament, Maradona was found to have banned substances, including appetite suppressants. Although Maradona had been shown to have unknowingly ingested the substances, he was excluded from the tournament.

That was also Diego Maradona. In 2001 he visited Fidel Castro in Havana. The soccer player proudly showed his Castro tattoo to the Cuban head of state. At that time, however, Maradona did not come to the island entirely voluntarily. In the Cuban sun he went through a drug withdrawal.

Unknown terrain, but with a ball In 2005 Maradona danced on the television program “Ballando con le stelle”. At that time he was still in good physical shape. Later, the icon repeatedly battled obesity and mental health issues.

For many, Maradona was the epitome of a bon vivant. Here he smoked a cigar in 2006 before his favorite club, the Boca Juniors match. But the former soccer star didn’t just use large amounts of nicotine. His addiction to cocaine also accompanied him for decades.

Maradona and his legitimate successor Lionel Messi. Maradona looked after the Argentine team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with moderate success. Here he has to console Messi after the 4-0 draw in the quarterfinals against Germany.

The god of football meets God’s representatives on earth. Maradonna gave his compatriot Pope Francis a shirt of the Argentine national team in 2014.

The figure of light as a spectator: During Argentina’s Games at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Maradona frantically whipped his team. The legend’s emotional outbursts in the stands made headlines during the tournament.

One of the last photos of Maradona: the elderly soccer star shakes hands with his doctor Leopoldo Luque after his brain operation in a hospital in Buenos Aires. Two weeks later, the Argentine national hero’s heart failed.