Football legend Diego Maradona, who is considered one of the greatest football players of all time has died at the age of 60.
The former Argentina national team attacking midfielder and manager suffered a heart attack at his Buenos Aires home.
He had successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November and was to be treated for alcohol dependency.
Sensational. Extraordinary. A classic genius. Simply dazzling.
These and more are words that only come short of describing the life of the fallen football legend, Diego Maradona.
Did I forget “controversial”? His famously infamous “Hand of God” goal paints the front porch of the magnificent building of his career, epitomizing the phrase, “The ends justify the means.”
Maradona was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, scoring the famous goal using his hand against England in the quarter-finals, which violated the most basic of all the football rules there is, but which nevertheless won his country one of the many trophies to his name.
Maradona played for Barcelona and Napoli during his club career, winning two Serie A titles with the Italian side.
He scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, representing them in four World Cups.
Maradona led his country to the 1990 final in Italy, where they were beaten by West Germany, before captaining them again in the United States in 1994, but was sent home after failing a drugs test for ephedrine.
During the second half of his career, Maradona struggled with cocaine addiction and was banned for 15 months after testing positive for the drug in 1991.
He became inextricably linked to the Camorra, a crime syndicate, dragged down by a cocaine addiction and embroiled in a paternity suit.
After losing 1-0 to Germany in the final of Italia 90, a positive dope test the following year triggered a 15-month ban.
He returned and arrested his slide, getting his act together to play in the 1994 World Cup in the USA, but alarmed viewers with a maniacal full-face goal celebration into a camera.
Maradona was withdrawn midway through the tournament after he was found to have taken the banned substance ephedrine.
He retired from professional football in 1997, on his 37th birthday, during his second stint at Argentine giants Boca Juniors.
Having briefly managed two sides in Argentina during his playing career, Maradona was appointed head coach of the national team in 2008 and left after the 2010 World Cup, where his side were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals.
He subsequently managed teams in the United Arab Emirates and Mexico and was in charge of Gimnasia Esgrima in Argentina’s top flight at the time of his death.
Brazil legend Pele has led the tributes to Maradona, issuing a brief statement which read: “One day we’ll kick a ball together in the sky above.”
Former England striker and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker said: “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God.”
While so much controversy surrounds his life, it doesn’t come anywhere near to his incredible journey as a footballer and the special memories he created for his fans around the world.
The Ugandan Wire deeply understands the sentiment our readers attach to football, and for that, we pray that his soul rest in peace and glory.
