Rabat—A new trial over the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona will begin on Tuesday, with seven members of his medical team charged with negligent homicide nearly a year after a previous case collapsed in a mistrial.
The proceedings restart a highly sensitive and closely followed legal battle in Argentina, aimed once again at determining whether Maradona’s medical team was responsible for his death in November 2020.
Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most iconic football players in history, died at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery at a private residence. He suffered heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs, just two weeks after undergoing the operation.
The first trial collapse
The new trial, taking place in a court in San Isidro near Buenos Aires, follows the collapse of the first proceedings, which were annulled in May 2025 after a judicial scandal.
One of the judges involved, Julieta Makintach, was found to have participated in a documentary filmed inside the courthouse, breaching judicial ethics rules. She was later impeached, bringing the trial to an abrupt halt after two and a half months of hearings.
Up to 120 witnesses expected
That initial trial had already featured emotional testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including Maradona’s children, before it was declared invalid. The retrial is expected to hear from up to 120 witnesses, with prosecutors and defense lawyers once again presenting extensive forensic evidence, recordings, and prior testimony.
Seven medical professionals on trial
Seven members of Maradona’s medical team are now on trial, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Díaz, physician Nancy Forlini, and nurses Ricardo Almirón and Mariano Perroni, along with physician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna. A separate jury trial will be held for nurse Dahiana Madrid at a later date.
The defendants have denied all wrongdoing, rejecting charges of “simple homicide with eventual intent” and negligent homicide linked to Maradona’s treatment and recovery conditions in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires. Prosecutors have described his care environment as grossly negligent, arguing that medical protocols were not properly followed.
Defense lawyers, however, maintain that Maradona’s death was natural and inevitable, citing his long history of serious health issues, including addiction to cocaine and alcohol, as well as chronic medical complications.
The negligence investigation began in 2021 after a medical board concluded that the medical team acted in a “deficient, reckless, and inappropriate” manner during his convalescence.
If convicted, the accused face prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years.
Maradona’s legacy continues to dominate public memory in Argentina, where he remains a national icon whose life and death still generate intense legal and emotional debate.