Diego Armando Maradona, an Argentine professional football player, hailed as El Pibe de Oro (The Golden Kid) breathed his last at his residence in Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 60-yr old football legend suffered a massive cardiac arrest on Wednesday. He was recuperating at a private home having undergone surgery for a brain clot. On October 30th, Maradona celebrated his 60th Birthday and even watched Gimnasia’s National Championship match in which his team won 3-0 against Patronato.
Maradona was born on October 30, 1960, in Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina to Diego Maradona (Chitoro) (1927–2015) and Dalma Salvadora Franco (Doña Tota). He spent his childhood in Esquina and later in 1950 moved to the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires. His talent for the game was noticed at the age of eight while playing at his neighbourhood club ‘Estrella Roja’. He hogged the limelight during the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against England for his first goal an unpenalized handling foul called ‘Hand of God’, while his second goal wherein he dribbled the football past five England players spanning 60 metres was chosen as the ‘Goal of the Century’ by FIFA voters in 2002. Argentina went on to win that match 2-1.
Maradona had played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell’s Old Boys, Napoli, Barcelona and internationally for Argentina. He earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals, played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico wherein he captained Argentina to victory over West Germany in the final, and went on to win the Golden Ball.
