Diego Maradona exhibited clear "warning signs" during his home hospitalisation before his death in 2020, a witness testified on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at a trial in San Isidro, north of Buenos Aires. Seven healthcare professionals have been on trial since mid-April in Argentina, accused of potential negligence that may have contributed to the football legend’s demise.

Forensic doctor Carlos Cassinelli, part of a medical board reviewing Maradona’s health records, reported observing symptoms such as oedema in the lower limbs, swelling in the fingers, shortness of breath, hypertension, and an abnormally fast heart rate. Despite these life-threatening signs, "nobody went to see what that swelling was about," Cassinelli told the court.

Maradona, the World Cup winner, died of heart failure and acute pulmonary oedema—a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs—two weeks after undergoing surgery. The trial continues to examine whether the medical care provided was adequate during his final days.

Sources