Diego Maradona reflects on his struggle with addiction as he begins a new managerial journey in Mexico
Argentina football legend Diego Maradona described his decision to coach second-division Mexican club Dorados as a rebirth after years battling addictions.
The 57-year-old was officially unveiled as the team's new manager on Monday.
Maradona, who has publicly struggled with drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity, raised eyebrows with the decision to accept a job in the heart of Mexican drug cartel country — the rough-and-tumble state of Sinaloa.
But in his first press conference for Dorados, he described the job as a healthy new beginning after a long “sickness,” pointing towards his past excesses.
Mexico was the scene of Maradona's greatest triumph as a player when he led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title.
But, his managerial career has failed to match the sparkle of his playing days.
Maradona managed the Argentine national team at the 2010 World Cup, crashing out against Germany 4-0 in the quarter finals.
And most recently, he left Al Fujairah of the United Arab Emirates in May after failing to guide them to promotion.