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Tag: Diego Maradona

  • Diego Maradona to be treated for alcohol dependency

    Diego Maradona to be treated for alcohol dependency

    Argentina legend Diego Maradona will be discharged from hospital on Wednesday and taken to a recovery clinic to be treated for alcohol dependency.

    Maradona, who led his country to World Cup triumph in 1986, had a successful operation for possible bleeding on his brain earlier in November.

    “The good thing is that Diego is together, Diego is solid,” his lawyer, Matias Morla, said.

    Maradona was admitted to the Ipensa clinic in Buenos Aires last week with anaemia and dehydration, BBC reports.

    Only a few close friends will be allowed to visit the 60-year-old at the rehabilitation clinic.

    “Diego has gone through maybe the most difficult moment of his life and I think it was a miracle that they found this bleeding in his brain that could have cost him his life,” his lawyer added.

  • Maradona taken to hospital

    Maradona taken to hospital

    Diego Maradona has been admitted to hospital in Argentina although his condition was not thought to be serious, local media reported on Monday.

    The 60-year-old Maradona was reportedly taken to the Ipensa clinic in La Plata, about an hour from Buenos Aires.

    Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, coaches the local club Gimnasia y Esgrima.

    He was admitted to hospital to undergo tests as he had been feeling poorly for some time and would be held under observation for “several days.”

    The Ole.com.ar sports web site, one of Argentina’s biggest, said it was not an emergency and was not related to COVID-19 as he had tested negative in recent days.

    Maradona last appeared in public on his 60th birthday last Friday before his side’s league match against Patronato.

    He was gifted a plaque and a cake to celebrate the occasion but he did not stay to watch the game and witnesses said he looked unwell and weak.

    The former Napoli, FC Barcelona and Boca Juniors player has suffered frequent periods in hospital over the years, often due to the extravagant lifestyle which accompanied and followed his playing career.

    The former Napoli striker was also admitted to hospital in January 2019 with internal bleeding in the stomach.

    He also fell ill at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he was filmed passing out in an executive box during the Argentina versus Nigeria game.

    Maradona was taken into hospital in 2004 with severe heart and respiratory problems linked to cocaine use.

    He later underwent drug rehabilitation in Cuba and Argentina before a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 helped him lose weight.

    In 2007 he checked himself into a clinic in Buenos Aires to help him overcome alcohol abuse problems.

  • Diego Maradona discovers another daughter, Magali

    Diego Maradona discovers another daughter, Magali

    Argentina legend Diego Maradona is about to discover he has another daughter on the sidelines. This follows the naming of 23- year brunette called Magali on Tuesday as the latest to join the ever growing Maradona family.

    The 58-year-old has already recognised two sons and three daughters by four different women including his ex-wife Claudia Villafane and former long-term partner Veronica Ojeda as his own.

    Giannina Maradona, one of the former footballer’s two daughters by Villafane, who was previously married to Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, joked earlier this year after the names of three children said to be his in Cuba were made public: ‘Just three more needed for the team of 11. You can do it!!!’

    On Tuesday a 23-year-old brunette called Magali emerged as the latest possible member of Maradona’s ever-growing brood.

    Popular Argentinian TV programme Intrusos said she had a young daughter which would make the former Napoli and Barcelona star a grandfather if he is confirmed as her dad.

    She reportedly launched legal proceedings in April to try to prove her blood link.

    Journalist Adrian Pallares told Intrusos: ‘Her mother didn’t raise her but her adoptive family, who gave her all their love.

    ‘The time came when she discovered she didn’t belong to that family and that her father could be Diego Armando Maradona.’

    Last month Santiago Lara, who comes from the same Argentinian city of La Plata where Maradona now manages top-flight side Gimnasia y Esgrima, made a renewed TV appeal for the Argentine legend to recognise him as his son.

    The teenager, whose waitress mum Natalia Garat died aged 23 from lung cancer in 2006 and was raised by her ex-boyfriend Marcelo Lara, spoke for the first time in 2016 of his fight to find out who his real dad is.

    He said at the time: ‘I’ve been told my real father is supposedly Diego Maradona. My dad is always going to be Marcelo Lara but what I’ve been told is that my real father is supposedly Diego Maradona

    Maradona’s lawyer Matias Morla has already said the retired footballer will assume his responsibilities as Santiago’s father if the blood link is confirmed.

  • How i helped Messi to score free-kicks – Maradona

    How i helped Messi to score free-kicks – Maradona

    Argentina legend, Diego Maradona has claimed that he helped to teach Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi how to take free-kicks during his regime as La Albiceleste head coach.

    The 58-year-old, who coached Messi while he was manager of the Argentina national team between 2008 and 2010, claims the Barca number 10 sought his counsel over his free-kick technique.

    Messi scored eight direct free-kicks last season for Barcelona but Maradona is now saying that his advice saw the 32-year-old improve greatly on his free kicks.

    Maradona, who was recently appointed coach of Gimnasia, Esgrima La Plata in Argentina Superliga, was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying on Monday: “Messi had an issue with free-kicks. When we finished every training session, we kept Leo behind so he could practice, and he started to hit the post.

    “I didn’t teach him how to take a free-kick, then he asked me how I was able to score.

    “I said, ‘you just have to hit it in the middle. They aren’t going to give me an Oscar to teach you this’.

    “And he replied, ‘but I hit it in the middle and the ball goes this way or that way’ and I told him,

    “don’t worry, you’re going to make it’. Now he just can’t miss.”

  • I should be next Man Utd boss – Maradona

    I should be next Man Utd boss – Maradona

    Argentina legend Diego Maradona says he should be the next manager of Premier League club, Manchester United.

    The 58-year-old is currently managing Mexican second-tier side Dorados de Sinaloa after spells coaching in the United Arab Emirates and as chairman at Belarusian side Dynamo Brest.

    Speaking to FourFourTwo, he said: “If Manchester [United] need a coach, I’m the man to do it.

    “I know they sell lots of shirts around the world, but they need to win trophies, too. I can do that for them.

    The Red Devils have not lifted the Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford in 2013.

    In the six years since, they have added one FA Cup, one League Cup and the Europa League to their major trophy haul.

    But it is a compatriot of Maradona’s that has forced him to switch allegiance from United to their rivals across town.

     

    “But now I have to say Manchester City. I know you shouldn’t change like that but it’s because of Kun [Aguero]. We speak a lot and he plays in a very good team.”

  • Maradona fined after dedicating win to Venezuela’s Maduro

    Maradona fined after dedicating win to Venezuela’s Maduro

    Diego Maradona has been fined for dedicating a recent victory by his Mexican club to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Mexico’s football federation said on Monday.

    The Argentine great, who coaches Dorados de Sinaloa, had dedicated a 3-2 win over Tampico Madero to Maduro and Venezuela in a news conference at the end of last month.

    The body said in a statement that Maradona had been fined an unspecified sum for violating the federation’s code of ethics which mandates political neutrality.

    Maradona had said he was dedicating the victory to Maduro and Venezuelans caught up in an economic crisis.

    He also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump.

  • Maradona accepts paternity of three more children in Cuba

    Maradona accepts paternity of three more children in Cuba

    Argentina football legend Diego Maradona is to acknowledge paternity of three Cuban children, his lawyer says.

    This means the 58-year-old World Cup winner, who once denied any children other than with his former wife, is now the official father of eight children.

    Maradona will travel to Havana to take paternity tests and publicly recognise the children later this year, lawyer Matias Morla said.

    The children, reportedly from two mothers, will be able to take his name.

    Maradona spent several years in the country between 2000 and 2005 undergoing treatment for a cocaine habit.

    He befriended then-President Fidel Castro during his stint in the country and got a tattoo of the leader’s face on his leg.

    Maradona once denied having any children besides Giannina, 29, and Dalma, 31, both daughters of his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, whom he divorced in 2003 after nearly 20 years of marriage.

    However he has since recognised Diego Junior, 32, and Jana, 22, after court battles with their mothers.

    Maradona also has another child, six-year-old Diego Fernando, from his relationship with Veronica Ojeda.

  • Alex Ferguson speaks on Messi, Maradona comparison

    Alex Ferguson speaks on Messi, Maradona comparison

    Former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has revealed who is better between Lionel Messi and Argentine legend, Diego Maradona.

    In an interview with The Times to honour legendary sportswriter, Hugh McIlvanney, asked to pick between Messi and Maradona who is better, Ferguson said Messi because Maradona’s career at the very top of football was only a few years.

    “Told of this, I would side with Souness, who said Messi is a better player than Maradona on that one,” Ferguson said.

    “Maradona’s career at the very top was only a few years.”

    Ferguson added, “But I can imagine Hugh’s response. You don’t know what you’re talking about!’ While blowing a big puff of smoke in your face, lighting another stogie and speaking with that wonderful, rasping voice.”

  • Diego Maradona leaves hospital after internal bleeding

    Diego Maradona leaves hospital after internal bleeding

    Argentina legend Diego Maradona has been released from hospital after being admitted with internal bleeding in his stomach, his daughter said.

    The 58-year-old was having a routine medical in his home country when doctors discovered the problem.

    However, his family said the diagnosis was not serious.

    “For those who were really worried about my dad I can tell you that he is well,” his daughter Dalma said. “He is going home soon.”

    Reuters news agency later reported Maradona had left the hospital.

    Maradona, who captained Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, is coach of Mexican second division side Dorados de Sinaloa.

    He was taken ill during Argentina’s victory over Nigeria at last year’s World Cup in Russia but later said he was “fine”.

     

  • World Cup: Maradona apologises for saying England ‘robbed’ Colombia

    World Cup: Maradona apologises for saying England ‘robbed’ Colombia

    Argentina legend Diego Maradona has apologised to Fifa for saying England committed a “monumental robbery” in beating Colombia in the World Cup last 16.

    Maradona accused referee Mark Geiger of bias towards England.

    Fifa said his comments were “entirely inappropriate” and insinuations about the referee “completely unfounded”.

    “I said a couple of things and, I admit, some of them are unacceptable,” said Maradona on social media.

    Maradona posted his message below a picture of himself and Fifa president Gianni Infantino, apologising to both the Swiss and football’s world governing body.

    “I have absolute respect for the work – which is not easy – that the institution and the referees do,” he added.

    Maradona, 57, felt Geiger should have penalised Harry Kane for a foul on Colombia’s Carlos Sanchez instead of awarding the penalty that allowed the England captain to open the scoring just before the hour mark in Moscow.

    “Here’s a gentleman who decides, a referee who, if you Google him, shouldn’t be given a match of this magnitude… Geiger, an American, what a coincidence,” Maradona had said on his nightly World Cup show for the Venezuela-based Telesur broadcaster.

    Maradona was pictured wearing a Colombia shirt prior to the game and TV images showed him celebrating Yerry Mina’s late equaliser.

    Fifa said it was “extremely sorry” to read the comments from “a player who has written the history of our game”.

    “Fifa strongly rebukes the criticism of the performance of the match officials which it considers to have been positive in a tough and highly emotional match,” it said.