Argentine footballer icon Diego Maradona passed away in his house at 60 after suffering from a major heart attack on Wednesday, 25 November 2020.
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) confirmed Maradona's death by posting a tweet:
"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."
In early November 2020, Maradona was hospitalized for brain surgery and released weeks later on. Later, the doctor reported that he had a blood clot on the brain through a La Plata Clinic test.
Diego Maradona is regarded as one of the greatest players in the field of football. He won the world cup in 1986 for his country Argentina. With the memorial performance against England in the World Cup Final match in 1986, he scored an iconic goal dubbed as the "Hand of God."
Maradona's alcohol addiction was always overshadowed throughout his life and career.
Maradona Net Worth & Career
An Argentine football coach, manager, and former professional soccer player Diego Maradona had a net worth of $500,000 before his death. Maradona died on 25 November 2020, at the age of 60.
While his career was at the peak, he earned tens of millions of dollars from salaries and endorsements. He had endorsed popular brands like Hublot, Puma, and Coca-Cola and became one of the highest-paid athletes in the early 80s.
Maradona debuted the professional football club, 'Argentinos Juniors' at the age of 15. Quickly impressed by his football skill at the national team, Maradona was purchased by Boca Juniors in 1981 for a $4 million fee.
Before transferring to FC Barcelona club for record-breaking $7.2 million in 1982, he spent only a year at Boca Juniors.
After a rise in his career in Barcelona, Maradona became drunk in fame. He was always a controversial figure, and lastly, he was kicked out by the club in 1984 and joined Napoli afterward.
During the world cup in 1986, Maradona Diego helped win the Argentina championship with his hand's help to score a controversial goal against England. Later on, when the reporter interviewed him after the match, he suggests it as the "Hand of God."
Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal against England during the world cup in 1986 (©: edition.cnn.com)
When Maradona's career was about to peak, he was addicted to drug use and was forced to leave Napoli in 1992. In 1994, he again tested positive for drugs and was overthrown from the World Cup.
In 1997 at the age of 37, Maradona was retired from playing football. After retiring from international football, Maradona started to coach, looking at Argentina's journey in the world cup in 2010 before moving to UAE and Mexico.
Who Was Maradona Married To?
Diego Maradona, who had several relationships, had only one wife in his life. He married his long-term fiance Claudia Villafane on 7 November 1984 in Buenos Aires.
Maradona's ex-wife Claudia is a film producer, TV reality star, and actress. Claudia also starred in the show like ‘Muñeca brava’ (1998), ‘MasterChef Celebrity Argentina’ (2020), and ‘Maradona by Kusturica’ (2008).
Diego Maradona and his ex-wife Claudia Villafane (©: besoccer.com)
In 2004, Diego Maradona and Claudia got a divorce after marriage for twenty years. They remained on the excellent term after their split. The ex-pair continued to see each other in the following year and went to Germany to watch the World Cup 2006 live.
The pair then fell apart and made a headline together when Maradona sued his ex-wife to steal his money and used it to buy an apartment in Florida in 2018.
Maradona's Family & Children Details
Diego Maradona was born to a Roman Catholic family on 30 October 1960. His parents were Diego Maradona Senior and Dalma Salvadora Franco.
Maradona's family tree is complicated as we think. He left behind his eight official children and his ex-wife Claudia Villafane. They were Dalma Nerea, Gianinna Dinorah, Diego Maradona Jr., Jana Sabalian, Diego Fernando Maradona Ojeda, Joana, Lu, and Javielito.
He previously denied all his children except his ex-wife, Claudia Villafane. He was forced to accept other children in 2019.
According to The Daily Mail report, Diego Maradona had accepted three children's paternity test in 2019 named Joana, Lu, and Javielito.
With Maradona's ex-wife, Claudia, he had two daughters- Dalma Nerea (born in 1987) and Gianinna Dinorah (born in May 1989).
Maradona's first daughter, Dalma Nerea, is an actress known for her role in her movies La venganza de Ira Vamp (2010), Orillas (2011), and Cebollitas (1997). She was married to Andrés Caldarelli on 23 March 2018 and had one child name Roma Caldarelli.
Maradona's second daughter, Gianinna Dinorah, is a fashion designer married to Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and got a divorce after four years of marriage. They have a child named Benjamin Aguero Maradona.
When Maradona had an extramarital relationship with Cristiana Sinagra, they have a child named Diego Maradona Jr. He is an Italian footballer born on 20 September 1986. He is also a professional player like his father, Diego Maradona.
Diego Maradona with his son, Diego Maradona Jr. (©: Instagram/ Diego Maradona Jr.)
On 10 June 2015, Maradona Jr. was married to Nunzia Pennino in a Roman Catholic church in Naples.
Diego Maradona's youngest son, Diego Fernando, was born in February 2013 from an extramarital affair with Veronica Ojeda.
In December 2014, Diego announced that he has a daughter name Jana Maradona Sabalian. Jana- a model by profession- was born in April 1996 in Buenos Aires. She was a result of Maradona's affair with Valaria Sabalain, who was working as a waitress.