ARGENTINE soccer great Diego Maradona has died after suffering a heart attack.
Maradona, 60, regarded as one of the greatest football stars of all time, passed away weeks after he was released from hospital and taken to a recovery clinic where he was to be treated for alcohol dependency, his doctor told reporters.
The former Napoli and Boca Juniors player had emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain. Maradona is recognised as one of the greatest of all time, captained Argentina when they won the World Cup in 1986.
Maradona was kept in for longer than expected due to withdrawal symptoms caused by his sudden abstention from alcohol.
Then his physician told reporters that Maradona, who was coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima left the hospital in an ambulance accompanied by family members.
He was headed to a rehabilitation facility in the north of Buenos Aires and will spend time there recovering from his alcohol problems.
The hospital stay was the latest in a string of health scares for the charismatic and controversial Maradona who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
Soccer players – current and former – football clubs and fans took to social media to express their tributes to Maradona.
Didier Drogba, former Chelsea star and retired Ivory Coast star said: “RIP Diego Armando Maradona, my first ever football shirt, the man behind my love for football. Gracias El Pibe.”
A sports fan quotes Fabio Cannovaro, an Italian football legend, who said: “Maradona is a God to the people of Naples. Maradona changed history. In 80 years, we had always suffered, fighting against relegation, yet in seven seasons with him, we won two leagues, an UEFA Cup and two Italian Cups”
