Diego Maradona has ‘successful’ brain surgery despite drug and alcohol issues

Diego Maradona’s surgery on a blood clot on his brain has been declared a ‘success’ despite worrying issues caused by his long history with drugs and alcohol, it has been announced.

The footballing legend, widely regarded as one of the best to ever play the game, had a subdural hematoma – an accumulation of blood between a membrane and his brain – according to his personal doctor Leopoldo Luque.

His PR team have now confirmed that the major surgery he had on Tuesday, less than a week after his 60th birthday, went well and he is now on the road to recovery.

Diego Maradona has undergone successful surgery in Argentina for a blood clot on his brain

Maradona was originally in La Plata (pictured) before being transferred to Buenos Aires

Maradona’s personal doctor Leopoldo Luque (pictured) has been updating the media on him

Mr Luque, a neurologist, said the problem likely was caused by an accident, but Maradona has said he does not recall such an incident.

The Argentine great will rest in his room in a private clinic outside Buenos Aires for at least 48 hours, where his fans have gathered in large numbers outside to show their support.

Maradona was accompanied to the clinic by his daughters Dalma, Giannina and Jana and other relatives, according to local media in Argentina.

Tuesday’s surgery came after the 1986 World Cup winner was admitted to another clinic, in the city of La Plata, after suffering anemia and dehydration.

Maradona is a footballing legend, who helped Argentina to win the World Cup back in 1986

The media presence outside Maradona’s hospital in Olivos, Buenos Aires, has been huge

Donato Villani, the head of the Argentine national team’s medical staff, told television channel TyC Sports that such a surgery normally goes smoothly, adding ‘it is different with Diego’ due to Maradona’s past treatment for cardiac problems and his use of drugs and alcohol.

Maradona was admitted to the Ipensa Clinic with additional signs of depression on Monday, it was revealed.

Mr Luque said Maradona, whose Hand of God goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England is among the most controversial in the tournament’s history, had ‘felt sad’ for about a week and refused to eat before arriving at the clinic.

Fans have been praying for the Argentine football legend’s swift recovery following surgery

Maradona (pictured in January) has a long history with drugs and alcohol, which Donato Villani claimed made the surgery on his blood clot more complicated

Maradona has lived in La Plata since the end of 2019, when he became coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima.

Maradona turned 60 last Friday and showed up that night for Gimnasia’s national championship match against Patronato, which his team won 3-0. He left before the end of the first half, which raised questions about his health.

Before undergoing surgery on Tuesday, the former Barcelona, Napoli and Boca Juniors star reported feeling better.

‘Diego feels much better than yesterday and feels like leaving,’ Mr Luque said on Tuesday morning. ‘He spent the night well and we have been joking.’

Maradona led Argentina to the World Cup trophy in 1986. He has continued to cause controversy since his heyday as a player, being sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the United States and dropping in and out of the sport as a coach.

His ‘Hand of God’ goal against England is one of the sport’s most controversial moments ever

Maradona had reportedly been suffering from additional signs of depression earlier this week

Maradona arrives at the hospital in Buenos Aires, where he then underwent major surgery