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Soccer superstar Diego Maradona dead at 60

Diego Maradona
Posted at 10:44 AM, Nov 25, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-25 13:53:06-05

Several media reports indicate Argentinian soccer star Diego Maradona is dead at the age of 60.

Argentine media reports indicate Maradona died of a heart attack.

Maradona most recently was the coach of Argentine Primera División club Gimnasia de La Plata. Maradona is widely considered as the greatest soccer player ever.

Earlier this month, Maradona was admitted to the hospital and his condition was not considered to be serious. But on Nov. 3, he underwent emergency brain surgery to treat a blood clot on his brain. He was released on Nov. 12 after the surgery and was being supervised by doctors as an outpatient.

Maradona led Argentina to the World Cup championships in 1986 and served as the team's coach from 2008 to 2010.

His performance in the 1986 World Cup is considered among the greatest of all time — he was awarded the tournament's "Golden Ball" award for the best overall player.

He scored five goals throughout the tournament — including a controversial goal in a quarterfinal match against England that was scored despite a missed hand ball violation. That goal has since been nicknamed the "Hand of God."

Throughout his 20-plus-year senior club career, spent mostly with European powers, Sevilla, Barcelona and Napoli, Maradona scored 259 goals in 491 career matches.

His reputation was tarnished by his addictions and an ill-fated spell in charge of the national team in 2008, but he remained idolized in soccer-mad Argentina as the “Pibe de Oro” or “Golden Boy.”

Later in life, he struggled with cocaine addiction and obesity.