Mar ‧ a ‧ don ‧ a, Di ‧ e ‧ go /ˌmærəˈdɒnə $ -ˈdɑː-, diˈeɪɡəʊ/ BrE AmE
(1960–) an Argentinian football player, considered one of the greatest players ever, who played for Argentina’s national team from 1976–1994 and helped them win the ↑ World Cup in 1986. Many people in the UK remember how, in a World Cup game against England, Argentina got a goal after the ball had touched Maradona’s hand. Afterwards he said that it was ‘the hand of God’ that had got the goal. He was ↑ suspend ed (=not allowed to play) in 1991 and again in 1994 for using illegal drugs.