Diego Maradona’s younger brother, Hugo, has died of a heart attack aged 52.
He suffered the heart attack at his home in Naples, the city where he had a minor football career, early Tuesday according to Italian media.
Hugo Maradona’s death comes just 13 months after a similar cardiac issue killed older brother and Argentine football legend, Diego Maradona, who died in November 2020 at the age of 60.
Like his brothers Diego and Raul, Hugo started playing football at a very young age and even signed for Napoli at the age of 18, although he was soon loaned out to Ascoli.
Hugo also played alongside Diego and Lalo Maradona, his other brother, in a friendly for Granada against Malmo in 1987 as part of the deal that saw the Segunda side sign Lalo. The Andalusian outfit won the fixture 3-2 with goals from Lalo and Diego.
Hugo retired from football in 1999 and, aside from a spell in charge of the Puerto Rico Islanders, has spent the majority of his time working in grassroots football in his adopted home of Naples. His greatest pleasure, he said, was derived from helping children.
He ended up not having a career in the elite of football and instead focused his efforts on youth football projects.
La Gazzetta dello Sport are the outlet that first reported the news of Hugo Maradona’s death, which comes 13 months after Diego Maradona passed away.