Maradona recovering after health scare

Diego Maradona, one of football's greatest ever players, is said to be in recovery after suffering a health scare in Buenos Aires this week.

Maradona, 43, complained of breathing difficulties after watching his former team Boca Juniors play Nueva Chicago on Sunday night. Shortly after the game, he was admitted to intensive care at the privately run Suizo Argentina clinic where he received treatment for hypertension and a cardiac condition.

Maradona, who played in four World Cups for Argentina and made 21 appearances in the finals, was placed on a ventilator and was described as seriously ill on Monday morning. He is expected to be taken off the ventilator within the next few days.

An Argentinian TV station, Todo Noticas, had reported that Maradona collapsed after a drugs overdose. However, this was denied by the former footballer's private doctor.

Maradona has battled against drug addiction for some time. He suffered a heart scare in 2000 following a drugs overdose while in Uruguay.

Maradona was banned from playing in Italy's Serie A for 15 months after testing positive for cocaine; and again at the World Cup in 1994, where he was banned for 15 months after testing positive for a banned substance.

The legendary Number 10, who scored 34 times in 91 international appearances, won the World Cup in 1986 – a final which saw the infamous 'hand of God' goal against England. He was also a World Cup runner up in 1990.

In 2000, Maradona and Brazil's Pele were named by Fifa as the game's greatest ever players.

(gmcg)