FUJAIRAH, UAE: Football legend Diego Maradona has been sacked by UAE second division club Al Fujairah along with his entire coaching staff after they failed to make automatic promotion to the UAE Pro League.
Following the 1-1 draw at home to Khor Fakkan, Al Fujairah despite losing no game in 22 matches ended the campaign on third position; two points behind the second placed Al-Ittihad Kalba and five behind the champions Baniyas who has another game in hand.
After the disappointing result, the club released a statement revealing they and Maradona – who joined the club since May 2017 – had parted company.
The lawyer of the former Barcelona and Napoli star Matias Morla has also confirmed that the coach has left the position.
“After today’s draw and not having achieved the goal of ascending to Fujairah, Diego Maradona will no longer be the team coach. The decision was made in common agreement and Diego leaves the team in repêchage situation and wishing the best to the club that opened its doors” tweeted Moria.
This was the second spell of Maradona in UAE after he was sacked by Dubai’s Al-Wasl club in 2012. He has also managed Argentina national team between 2008 and 2010 in which they lost to Germany 4-0 in the 2010 South Africa world cup quarter final.
Maradona won the 1986 World Cup with his country and reached the final four years later but lost to Germany, and twice won Italy’s Serie A with Napoli. He has been voted as the player of the century along with Brazilian legend Pele.