Diego Armando Maradona didn't just play soccer. He was a religion. So, when the news broke on November 25, 2020, that the "Golden Boy" had passed away in a rented house in Dique Luján, the world basically stopped spinning for a second. Everyone wanted to know the same thing. How does a literal god die at 60? The official Maradona cause of death was initially labeled as a heart attack, but if you dig even slightly into the legal documents and the medical reports that surfaced later, the story gets way more complicated and, honestly, pretty tragic.
He died alone. That’s the part that sticks in the throat of every Argentinian.
The Medical Reality of November 25
Let's look at the hard facts first. The autopsy was conducted at the San Fernando morgue. It revealed that Diego died from "acute pulmonary edema secondary to exacerbated chronic heart failure." Basically, his lungs filled with fluid because his heart was too weak to pump properly. The report also noted "dilated cardiomyopathy." This isn't a sudden thing. It’s a slow-motion car crash of a medical condition where the heart muscle stretches and becomes thin.
He was found in bed. He hadn't been seen alive since early that morning, or maybe even the night before, depending on which testimony you believe from the revolving door of staff members.
The sheer physical state of his body at the time of death was shocking to those who only remembered the 1986 legend. His heart weighed 503 grams. That’s nearly double the size of a healthy human heart. It was a heart that had been pushed to the limit by years of substance abuse, extreme weight fluctuations, and the relentless pressure of being Diego Maradona.
The controversy surrounding the Maradona cause of death
If it were just a heart attack, the story might have ended there. But it didn't. Not even close. Within days, the Argentinian justice system started looking at the "home care" Diego was receiving. He had just undergone brain surgery for a subdural hematoma at the Olivos Clinic. He was supposed to be recovering. Instead, he was in a house that many claimed wasn't even equipped with a proper defibrillator or basic medical supplies.
The prosecutors in San Isidro didn't hold back. They eventually charged eight medical professionals with "homicide with eventual intent" (simple homicide). This is a heavy charge. It basically means the caregivers knew he might die and did nothing to prevent it.
Think about that for a minute.
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A House Ill-Equipped for a Legend
The "hospitalization at home" was, by most accounts, a total disaster. The medical board appointed to investigate the Maradona cause of death issued a 70-page report that was absolutely scathing. They used words like "reckless" and "deficient." They claimed Diego started dying at least 12 hours before he was actually found.
12 hours of agony.
While he was struggling to breathe, the people paid to watch him were apparently in the other room, or worse, not even in the house. The report stated that he was "abandoned to his fate." There was no continuous medical monitoring, which is wild considering he was a patient with complex heart and kidney issues recovering from brain surgery.
- Dr. Leopoldo Luque (Neurosurgeon)
- Agustina Cosachov (Psychiatrist)
- The psychologists and nurses on duty
These people became the faces of a legal battle that is still dragging through the courts in 2026. The defense argues that Diego was an "unmanageable patient" who kicked doctors out of his room. Maybe that's true. Diego was famous for his temper. But the medical board's response was simple: if a patient isn't in their right mind, you don't just walk away and let them die of heart failure.
Toxicological Findings and Missing Pieces
When the toxicology reports came back, everyone expected to see a repeat of the 90s. People assumed there would be cocaine or alcohol. But there wasn't. There were no illegal drugs in his system when he died.
What they did find, however, was a cocktail of psychotropic medications. Drugs like Quetiapine, Venlafaxine, and Levetiracetam. These are heavy-duty meds for anxiety, depression, and epilepsy. The weird part? None of the medications found in his system were for heart disease. Not a single one. His heart was failing, his lungs were filling with water, and he was being given meds that can actually put more strain on the heart, but nothing to treat the actual condition that killed him.
It feels like a massive oversight. Or a total systemic failure.
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Why the World Still Cares
You might wonder why we’re still talking about this. It's because Maradona represented something bigger than sports. To the people of Naples and Buenos Aires, he was a symbol of the poor beating the rich. When the Maradona cause of death was revealed to be potentially preventable, it felt like a betrayal of that symbol.
The legal proceedings have been a circus. Leaked WhatsApp audios showed the medical team talking about him in ways that were, frankly, disgusting. They sounded more worried about their reputations and legal cover than the fact that the greatest athlete of the century was deteriorating right in front of them.
The Trial of the Eight
The trial has been delayed multiple times. In 2024 and 2025, we saw a series of appeals. The core of the argument remains: was this a natural death of a sick man, or was it a "slow suicide" facilitated by medical malpractice?
The "eventual intent" charge is key here. In Argentinian law, this carries a sentence of 8 to 25 years. It’s not just "oops, I made a mistake." It's "I saw the risk and I chose not to act."
- The nurse, Gisella Madrid, claimed she was forced to write a report saying she checked on him when she actually hadn't.
- The coordinator of the nurses pointed fingers at the doctors.
- The doctors pointed fingers at the family.
It’s a mess. A heartbreaking, complicated mess.
Life After Diego
Since his death, the estate battle has been equally chaotic. Diego had five recognized children and several others claiming to be his. The "brand" of Maradona is worth millions, but the man himself died in a room that didn't even have a private bathroom. He was sleeping in a playroom with a portable toilet.
The contrast between the myth and the reality of his final days is what fuels the public's obsession with the Maradona cause of death.
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He deserved better. Whether you're a fan of Pelé, Messi, or Ronaldo, nobody can deny that the ending of Diego’s story was a tragedy that didn't need to happen. He was 60. In the grand scheme of things, that's young.
Identifying the Signs of Heart Failure
If there is any lesson to be learned from this nightmare, it's about the symptoms that were ignored. The medical board noted that Maradona showed signs of "extraordinary edema"—his body was visibly swelling. This is a classic sign that the heart is struggling to circulate blood.
If you or someone you know is recovering from a major surgery, especially with a history of heart issues, watch for these:
- Extreme swelling (Edema): Check the ankles, legs, and abdomen.
- Shortness of breath: Especially when lying flat. Diego was reportedly struggling to breathe for days.
- Sudden weight gain: This is usually fluid, not fat.
- Persistent cough: Sometimes producing pink, frothy mucus (a sign of fluid in the lungs).
In Maradona's case, these signs were reportedly documented in nurse chats but never acted upon by the lead physicians.
The investigation into the Maradona cause of death has fundamentally changed how high-profile home care is handled in Argentina. It’s a grim reminder that fame and money don't always buy the best care. Sometimes, they just create a vacuum where nobody wants to be the one to tell the "big man" no.
Diego is gone, buried at the Jardin de Bella Vista cemetery next to his parents, Doña Tota and Don Diego. The murals of him keep popping up all over the world, from the streets of Damascus to the walls of Miami. But the questions about that quiet morning in Tigre aren't going away. The trial will eventually reach a verdict, but for the fans, the "D10S" was let down by the very people who were supposed to keep him alive.
To understand the full scope of the legal case, one should look at the official filings from the San Isidro Prosecutor's Office. They paint a picture of a man who, in his final hours, was a shadow of the athlete who danced through the English defense in '86. He was a patient in need of a hospital, stuck in a house that wasn't ready for him.
The truth about the Maradona cause of death isn't just a medical line on a certificate. It's a cautionary tale about medical responsibility, the isolation of fame, and the fragile nature of a legend who was, in the end, very much human.
Next Steps for Understanding the Legacy:
- Review the Medical Board Report: Seek out the translated summaries of the 70-page San Isidro medical report to see the specific timeline of his final 12 hours.
- Monitor the Trial Status: Follow reputable Argentinian news outlets like La Nación or Clarín for the latest updates on the sentencing of the eight medical professionals involved.
- Heart Health Awareness: Use the symptoms identified in Maradona's final days as a guide for monitoring elderly or post-operative relatives, ensuring that "home care" includes 24/7 access to emergency cardiac equipment.