How did Maradona's drug addiction affect his career?

Diego Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, had a well-documented struggle with drug addiction throughout his career. His addiction primarily involved cocaine and led to numerous incidents that affected his career and personal life.

Maradona's drug use began in the early 1980s when he played for Barcelona, but it became more apparent during his time at Napoli in Italy in the late 1980s. His drug use resulted in him missing games and training sessions and caused him to become increasingly unreliable. He was eventually banned from football for 15 months in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine.

Maradona's addiction continued to affect him throughout the 1990s, including during the 1994 World Cup in which he was sent home after failing a drug test. He retired from football in 1997, but his addiction continued to impact his personal life, including numerous health issues.

Despite the negative impact of his addiction, Maradona remains a revered figure in the football world, and his talent on the pitch is widely acknowledged. However, his story is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of drug addiction and the impact it can have on both personal and professional life.