The Argentinian great Diego Maradona died today from a heart attack. He was 60. His rise to footballing heights was not just a sporting miracle, but also a one-of-a-kind sociocultural phenomenon.
Though Argentina and its people are sometimes thought to stand aloof from the rest of Latin America, the diminutive Maradona’s legend and off-field influence knew no borders.
His strident anti-imperialism and embrace of leftist leaders made him a sports icon with political influence surpassed only by Muhammad Ali in recent world history.
