Maradona in Buenos Aires hospital

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona was taken to a Buenos Aires hospital in an ambulance last night after falling ill.

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona was taken to a Buenos Aires hospital in an ambulance last night after falling ill.

A statement from the Guemes hospital said Maradona was undergoing tests and did not specify what he was suffering from. It said his hospitalisation was "not related to an addiction to dangerous drugs".

Maradona, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, has battled cocaine addiction and in recent weeks appeared overweight.

Maradona's personal doctor had said just days ago that the former footballer had put on weight and smoked too many cigars, and was planning a trip to Switzerland to get himself back into shape.

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Diego Maradona cheers team Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires on March 18th last.
Diego Maradona cheers team Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires on March 18th last.

Television showed an ambulance pulling up to a back entrance at the hospital. Moments later, Maradona's two teenage daughters entered the building.

In 2000, Maradona was hospitalised with a severe heart problem while on holidays in Uruguay and tested positive for cocaine before undergoing drug rehabilitation in Cuba.

Four years later, he spent 10 days in intensive care with heart and breathing problems and re-entered rehabilitation.

He underwent a stomach-stapling operation in 2005, shedding around 30 kgs, and said he was fully recovered. He went on to briefly host his own television program.

Since then, Maradona has played in several promotional soccer games with other retired players from across Latin America.