By Oyinlola Awonuga (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Style & Sports Desk)
One of the iconic men to have ever played the round leather game of soccer, Diego Armando Maradona has died at the age of 60.
According to reports, the Argentine football legend suffered a cardiac arrest at home in Tigre on Wednesday before passing on.
Announcing the news of his death, the Argentine Football Association tweeted: “The Argentine Football Association, through its President Claudio Tapia, expresses its deepest pain at the death of our legend, Diego Armando Maradona. You’ll always be in our hearts.”
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Maradona’s long-time rival, Pele, declared: “Certainly one day we’ll kick a ball together in the sky above.”
Maradona had underwent an operation to remove a blood clot on his brain on October 30.
The Gimnasia boss fell unwell after his side beat Patronato 3-0 and was taken to hospital in La Plata, near the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires.
Scans discovered a subdural hemetoma, requiring Maradona to undergo immediate surgery to remove the problem before being sent home to continue his recovery.
Reports in Argentina say Maradona was showing signs of recovery, but the 60-year-old then suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.
Maradona is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all-time after his glittering career in which he won the World Cup in 1986.
After rising through the ranks of local club Argentines Juniors, Maradona joined Boca Juniors and emerged as a star before joining Barcelona in 1982.
He spent two years at the Nou Camp before heading to Napoli, where he spent the next seven seasons and scored over 100 goals.
Maradona led Napoli to the most golden period in the club’s history, twice winning Serie A, while in 1986 he dominated the Mexico World Cup, as Argentina ran out winners – knocking out England en route, thanks to the Hand of God and a sublime virtuoso goal from Maradona.
Maradona later managed Argentina, for whom he scored 34 goals in 91 caps, between 2008 and 2010.
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