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Diego Maradona has died | Football World begins to pay tribute

DIEGO MARADONA HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 60.  With reports circulating this evening that Diego Arma...



Diego Maradona has died | Foot...
Soccer

Diego Maradona has died | Football World begins to pay tribute

DIEGO MARADONA HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 60. 

With reports circulating this evening that Diego Armando Maradona has died at 60, the footballing world has begun to pay tribute to one of the game's most notable icons.

Diego Maradona had recently underwent surgery when being admitted to hostpital after complaining that he felt unwell.

Shortly after his 60th birthday, the iconic Argentine footballer, who was so instrumental in their winning of the 1986 World Cup, had to have a subdural haematoma on his brain removed.

Although Maradona was understood to be recovering from the fairly routine surgery, reports today revealed that he suffered a cardiac arrest and has passed away.

To mark his passing, a selection of the teams he represented as a player have also taken the time to share in the collective sorrow.

Born in the Villa Fiorito area on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Diego Maradona made his professional football debut while still aged 15 with Argentinos Juniors in 1976. A prodigious talent from the off, he scored 115 goals in 167 appearances for Juniors before a move to Boca Juniors in 1981.

He would spend just over a year at the Bombanera, but it was one that cemented his status as one of the greatest talents the world had ever seen. Despite a disappointing showing at his first World Cup in 1982, that ended with his sending off against Brazil, he made a record-breaking move to Barcelona.

But despite a bright start, Maradona failed to properly settle in Spain. A combination of illness, a broken ankle courtesy of Andoni Goikoetxea and off-field problems led to him fleeing for Napoli in the summer of 1984.

Viewed as a surprising move at the time, it would prove a masterstroke.

Maradona settled into Naples like a native, and helped raise an ordinary Serie A side to the status of champions in the 1986-87 season. That, of course, followed his display at the Mexico World Cup.

Maradona captained Argentina to their second world title, scoring incredible and infamous goals along the way against England and Belgium. He was star of the show and creator supreme in the final, when they beat West Germany 3-2 in the baking sun of the Azteca.

Make sure to keep an eye on OTBSports.com across the evening as we talk with a range of figures from the world of football about Diego Maradona and his influence on the game

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