Soccer: Diego Maradona’s surprising net worth before his death

At the height of his career, Diego Maradona was one of the highest paid athletes in the world, but a life of addiction, legal and financial problems meant that his fortune was seriously diminished at the time of his death.

The 60-year-old Argentine soccer star, who had been battling health problems, died of a heart attack on Wednesday.

Recognized alongside Pelé as one of the best players to grace the field, the World Cup-winning Argentine captain had undergone brain surgery this month.

Maradona will be remembered forever for his “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals in Mexico City, when he pushed the ball into the net.

Minutes later, he swerved among the defenseless English defenders for a magnificent second goal, crowning a victory that perfectly encapsulated the mix of brilliant skill and often outrageous demeanor that ran through his life.

He struggled with addiction to cocaine and alcohol and had suffered from health problems in recent years.

During his career as a football player and coach, Maradona earned tens of millions of dollars through salaries and endorsements with major companies.

He was signed for two career world records when he joined Barcelona and later Napoli, and was one of the highest paid players in the world.

The International Business Times reports that Maradona’s deal with Napoli earned him a salary of $ 3 million, along with up to $ 10 million in endorsements.

That combined $ 13 million would equal more than $ 26 million in current money.

After playing, he also managed seven clubs and coached Argentina for the 2010 World Cup with varying success.

One of his last coaching duties was in Mexico, where he was reported to have made $ 150,000 a month during the short 11-month span.

But despite leading Napoli to two Serie A titles against all odds, and captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, Maradona did not die a rich man.

While his career was very successful, the soccer legend experienced a number of financial problems during the year, which took a huge hit to his fortune.

At the time of his death, Maradona’s net worth was estimated to be around $ 100,000 ($ A135,700), according to Express.co.uk.

The publication claims that during his time at Napoli between 1984 and 1991, the footballer accumulated 37 million euros (A $ 59.9 million) in unpaid taxes.

The Italian authorities made the debt public in 2009 and the bulk of the bill was made up of 23 million euros (A $ 37 million) in fees and interest.

Over the years, the police seized some of Maradona’s jewelry to pay off the debt, which amounted to about 42,000 euros (A $ 68,000), according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Throughout his life, Maradona continually claimed that the Italian authorities unfairly attacked him, and even blamed the debt on a Napoli manager for not informing him of the tax bill during his time playing there.

In 2016, the soccer star told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera that the fine for the tax bill had already been paid in 2003.

“I owe nothing. They have been unfairly harassing me for the last 25 years for 40 million euros with 35 million in fines for an alleged tax offense that all the judges have ruled does not exist,” he told the newspaper.

“I don’t want anyone to be in my situation. I owe nothing to anyone. Many people will have to regret what they have done to me because, despite being innocent, they have treated him as the worst criminal.”

Despite his claims, Italian authorities insisted that he still had tens of millions of dollars left on his bill.

Maradona’s dependence on drugs affected not only his health, but also his career and financial position.

In 1991, the Italian soccer court fined him $ 70,000 for missing matches for Napoli, and his club also sued him for allegedly tarnishing his reputation due to his drug use.

In 2014 Maradona told Tyc Sports of Argentina: “I gave my opponents a huge advantage due to my illness. Do you know what player I could have been if I hadn’t taken drugs?”

“I am 53 and I am going to 78 because my life has not been normal. I have lived 80 [years] with the life I’ve been through. “