Maradona medical team on trial for football star's death
Zac Crellin with AP, AFP, Reuters
March 11, 2025
Argentine soccer icon Diego Maradona died in 2020 while he was recovering from brain surgery. Several members of his medical team have been accused of homicide with possible intent, charges they reject.
The court case is expected to last several monthsImage: Natacha Pisarenko/AP/picture alliance
The 1986 World Cup winner's family were present in the courtroom on Tuesday. His oldest daughters, Dalma and Giannina, sat in the front row near Veronica Ojeda, the footballer's former partner, and Jana, another of his daughters.
Diego Maradona's daughters sat in the front row of the courtroomImage: Natacha Pisarenko/AP/picture alliance
Outside the court, fans held up signs in support of the late Maradona, including "Justice for D10S," a nickname based on his shirt number and the Spanish word for god.
What is the case about?
Maradona died in 2020 at the age of 60. He was recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot after decades battling cocaine and alcohol addictions.
Among the accused are a psychiatrist, a psychologist , a doctor, a nurse, a chief nurse and a clinical physician. All seven reject the allegations of negligence.
Genius and scandalous - Diego Maradona's life in pictures
One of the greatest footballers of all time has died. Diego Mardona was only 60 years old. The football world mourns a remarkable person, one full of magic and contradiction.
Image: Tareq Onu
Diego Armando Maradona
At the age of just 60 years old, Diego Armando Maradona passed away in his own home after suffering a heart attack. The entire football world, not just his homeland of Argentina, mourns the passing of one of the greatest ever to play the game.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/P. Seeger
Diego Maradona dribbles, the world watches
It all began at Argentinos Juniors. From there the talented Diego moved to Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires. It was his father's favorite club, and in 1981 he won the title. But Argentina was too small for Diego and soon he moved to Europe to join Barcelona.
Image: AP
Maradona clashes with Udo Lattek
The Catalonian club spent a record $7.3 million in 1982 for Maradona, but he was never happy in Barcelona. Maradona continually clashed with head coach Udo Lattek and the Argentine loved the nightlife in his new home. After three years, he left and Maradona made perhaps the best decision of his career.
Image: imago/Werek
Diego Maradona, Napoli's hero
In July 1984, Maradona moved to Napoli for a record sum of $10.5 million. The Italian club had never been champions before his arrival and had just escaped relegation. Between 1984 and 1991, Maradona helped the club to two league titles and a UEFA Cup win in 1989.
Image: picture alliance / Mark Leech / Offside
Napoli fans celebrate Maradona
In Naples, Maradona remains a hero - but his escapades are famous and notorious. He took cocaine and got close to the local mafia. Maradona enjoyed life to the full, right on the edge of legality. His popularity remained though.
Image: Getty Images
Diego Maradona and the World Cup title
No other player impacted a World Cup as Maradona did in 1986. He won the tournament with Argentina and became the superstar of football. He scored his infamous "Hand of God" against England in the quarterfinals, but followed it with another goal in the same game that went down as one of the most spectacular goals ever. He was named player of the tournament.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Fumagalli
Maradonas toughest defeat
One of the hardest moments in Maradona's playing career came in the lost 1990 World Cup final against West Germany in Italy. Guido Buchwald marked him out of the game and Andreas Brehme scored from the spot to give Germany the glory and spoil Maradona's dream of a second World Cup.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
The unpredictable Maradona
At club level, Maradona moved to Sevilla in 1992 before moving back home to Argentina. In February 1992, he fired an air rifle at journalists who had besieged his villa near Buenos Aires and was given a suspended jail sentence of two years and 10 months.
Image: picture-alliance/AFP
Maradona, the fan
Maradona played his last game on October 25, 1997 for Boca Juniors, who he always supported. Beforehand he had been suspended for doping for 15 months. In order to avoid further suspensions, he announced his retirement on October 30, 1997. Aged 37, Maradona's playing career full of scandal and skill had come to an end.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/N. Pisarenko
Maradona the coach
In October 2008, Maradona was named head coach of Argentina, despite having little coaching experience. His side suffered at the 2010 World Cup, losing 4-0 to Germany in the quarterfinal and eventually he was fired. He coached clubs in Mexico and elsewhere but the same success he had in his playing days escaped him.
Image: DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images
Diego Maradona and politics
After his playing career, Maradona kept making headlines - such as when he visited Cuba's chief of state Fidel Castro. There were regular reports of big parties and excessive use of drugs and alcohol. Wherever he was welcome, he went.
Image: AP
Diego Maradona lived it all
Maradona's lifestyle led to health issues, including his weight. More than once he dodged death, but then came November 2020. After having a blood clot removed from his brain, Maradona suffered a heart attack on November 25 and died aged 60.
Image: picture-alliance/Newscom/D. Klein
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"There are more than enough elements to prove that Diego was not treated properly," said Mario Baudry, lawyer for one of Maradona's sons.
However, the lawyer for one of the defendants said that Maradona's death was due to an "unforeseeable" cardiac arrest and that his home hospitalization had been agreed between doctors and Maradona's family.
The hearings are expected to run until July, when an eighth member of the medical team will also face a trial by jury.
