Diego Maradona passed away on Wednesday 25th November, 2020 at the age of 60 after suffering from heart failure.
He had been hospitalised at the start of November, days after celebrating the landmark birthday, after complaining of low spirits and fatigue.
Tests at the La Plata clinic revealed a blood clot on the brain, which doctors later revealed was operated on successfully.
Maradona was subsequently released from hospital as an outpatient to continue his convalescence, which he carried out in his dwelling in a private neighborhood near Tigre, northern Buenos Aires.
But on Wednesday morning he suffered cardiac arrest, and paramedics at the scene failed to revive him.
READ MORE:Quiz: You can only score 10/10 if you idolized Diego Maradona
The Argentine national team's official Twitter account confirmed the news on Wednesday, paying tribute to one of the nation's favourite footballing sons.
"You will be eternal in every heart of the football world," the message stated as it bade farewell to the superstar.
Below are the seven things that Maradona would forever be remembered for:
He inspired Napoli to win their first league title and a European crown
Napoli was like a middle table team, but Diego Maradona made them a winsome side, helping them win two league titles and UEFA Cup. Napoli reigned Italian football in the 1990s at a time AC Milan were at their peak. They won the Serie title for the first time in 1986/1987 season and also clinched the UEFA Cup.
This is the biggest achievement of the Naples side. Since the exit of Maradona from the club it has never been the same.
The hand of God
Maradona would be infamously be remembered for scoring a goal against England with his hand in the quarter-finals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The English had taken the lead, but Diego Maradona in his quest to outjump the goalkeeper of the Three Lions used his hand to connect the ball home. Unfortunately, the Tunisian referee didn't notice it and awarded a goal in favour of Argentina. This goal is infamously called the 'Hand of God'. It was after the equaliser that he dribbled half of the English players to slot home the match winner and this goal irked his name in the records books of the FIFA World Cup for having scored the best goal ever in the Mundial.
He twice broke world record signing as the most expensive player in the world
Barcelona signed Maradona from Boca Juniors for a world record fee of €3.5m in 1982. He was the first player to be bought in excess of 3 million.
Maradona moved from Barca to Napoli two years later for €5.87m and again emerged as the most expensive footballer, breaking his own record. He is the only player to have achieved this feat in football history (Still the only player to break it twice).
FIFA Player of the Century
The Argentine football god was adjudged the joint FIFA Player of the 20th century alongside Pele.
Diego Maradona in a poll conducted by the world football governing body was voted as the greatest footballer in the 20th century, while a panel set up by FIFA comprising coaches, former footballers and other technical men named Pele as the best player of the 21st century.
Due to the divergent opinions, FIFA settled on the two as joint greatest footballers of the 20th century.
Greatest goal in the history of the FIFA World
The former Napoli attacking midfielder scored a goal against England in the quarter finals of the 1986 FIFA World and that goal was adjudged as the best goal of all-time in the history of the Mundial.
He dribbled five players including the goalkeeper to slot home the match winner.
A standing ovation at the Santiago Bernabeau
The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is fiercest in football history.
Fans of both sides hate the opposing players and are not flattered by the best of displays from them.
However, Diego Maradona following an excellent performance at the Santiago Bernabeau was given a standing ovation by the home fans.
Diego Maradona single handedly won Argentina the FIFA World
The World which has been played since 1930 in Uruguay has never witnessed a player who has carried his team on his shoulders to victory from start to finish of a single FIFA World Cup campaign than what the legendary Diego Maradona
His impeccable display in Mexico in 1986 would forever live on. Maradona captained the Argentine national team to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, winning the final in Mexico City against West Germany.
Throughout the tournament, Maradona asserted his dominance and was the most dynamic player of the tournament. He played every minute of every Argentina game, scoring five goals and making five assists, three of those in the opening match against South Korea.
After scoring two contrasting goals in the 2–1 quarter-final win against England, his legend was cemented. The majesty of his second goal and the notoriety of his first led to the French newspaper L'Equipe describing Maradona as "half-angel, half-devil".
Replays showed that the first goal was scored by striking the ball with his hand. Maradona was coyly evasive, describing it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". It became known as the "Hand of God".
Maradona followed this with two more goals in a semi-final match against Belgium. In the final match, West Germany, he provided the assist for the match winner by Burruchaga.