Argentine legend Diego Maradona has passed on after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday morning barely a month after celebrating his 60th birthday.
The Gimnasia coach had been hospitalized at the beginning of November, days after celebrating his landmark birthday, with complains of low spirits, fatigue and a seizure.
Tests at the La Plata clinic revealed a blood clot on his brain, which doctors later revealed was operated on successfully.
He was subsequently discharged from hospital and went to his home in Tigre to continue his recovery until his timely demise on Wednesday.
Maradona started his career at the age of 16 with Agentinos Juniors, this followed with successful spells in Europe with Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla. Maradona returned to Argentina with Newell’s Old Boys and subsequently retired in 1997 with Boca Juniors.
Maradona was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, scoring the famous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the quarter-finals. The 1986 World Cup is arguably the greatest achievement of his career, while he also brought two Serie A titles to Napoli and During his time with Barcelona in Spain, he won the Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga and Supercopa de Espana in 1983.
Argentina and Barcelona captain Lionel Messi took to twitter to pour out his tribute to a man he described as eternal
Messi also said “Is a very sad day for all Argentines and football,” adding that “He leaves us but does not leave, because Diego is eternal. “I keep all the beautiful moments lived with him and I send my condolences to all his family and friends.”
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neyma, Harry Kane, Pele, Garry Lineker and the whole world have also paid tributes to Maradona.
A young man from the town of Tigre fought against all odds to become a legend, an idol and named the “god “of football has been taken away from us by the cold hands of death. Argentina and the whole football planet mourn one of the greatest to have ever played the sport.
