Diego Maradona dies aged 60: Argentinian FA announces passing of footballing legend

Diego Maradona, football legend and larger-than-life figure, has died aged 60.

The Argentinian led a colourful life, which was eventful both on and off the pitch.

He astonished watchers with his breath-taking style of play, and infuriated English fans with his ‘Hand of God’ stunt at the World Cup in Mexico 1986.

He pushed the ball into the net with his hand, earning him infamy - although he followed up by scoring the 'goal of the century', a remarkable solo effort, in the same game.

He was voted one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award, along with Pele.

Earlier this month he successfully underwent surgery on his brain.

Maradona, who played for the likes of Napoli, Barcelona and Boca Juniors before hanging up his boots in 1997, then went to a clinic in La Plata, south of Buenos Aires, to recover.

The AFA said on Twitter: "The Argentine Football Association, through its president Claudio Tapia, expresses its deepest sorrow for the death of our legend, Diego Armando Maradona. You will always be in our hearts."

Diego Maradona has died at 60.

Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and was the inspiration for Argentina's World Cup success in Mexico in 1986. He also led the country to the final of the 1990 tournament in Italy and managed them in South Africa in 2010.

Maradona's successes made him a global star and a national hero in Argentina but his career was also blighted by controversies on and off the field.

His international playing career ended in shame when he failed a drugs test at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and he was notorious for a wayward lifestyle. He was also banned from football in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine while playing for Napoli.

However, he remained a revered figure at the Italian club, where he won two Serie A titles.

He also played for Barcelona, Sevilla, Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys and was most recently manager of Gimnasia y Esgrima in La Plata, Argentina.