Diego Maradona obituary: ‘I did not cheat - it was cunning, craftiness’

World mourns the death of the Argentine football icon

Diego Maradona
World mourns the death of the Argentine football icon  
(Image credit: AFP/AFP via Getty Images)

In his 60-year life Diego Maradona was described as many things. A “genius” for his skills on the football pitch. A “hero” to millions of people, from Buenos Aires to Naples. And a “villain” for his activities away from the field.

He was also labelled a “cheat” for the “Hand of God” goal scored for Argentina against England in the 1986 Fifa World Cup - a tournament in which he starred in and would go on to lift the trophy.

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Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.