Diego Maradona Death Trial Takes New Turn as Expert Suggests

The high-profile trial investigating the death of Diego Maradona has been presented with a startling new hypothesis. An official court expert has testified that the football icon may have died from Covid-19, challenging the core medical negligence case against his caregivers.

Forensic doctor Pablo Ferrari gave testimony as the final witness in the San Isidro court. He stated that a coronavirus screening was not conducted during the initial post-mortem examination in November 2020, a time when the pandemic was at its height. 'We cannot rule out that he died of Covid,' Ferrari told the court. He argued the respiratory virus could cause a rapid physical decline, directly contradicting previous expert claims that Maradona suffered up to 12 hours of untreated heart failure. This testimony introduces a significant new element into the case against seven healthcare professionals.

The market for football memorabilia continues to reflect Maradona's enduring legend. A rare Diego Maradona Forza Campioni trading card, graded as a pristine PSA 10, sold for $2,100 on August 24, 2026. This sale set a new all-time record for the collectible line, dwarfing a previous sale of $416 in May of the same year. The card was part of a 1989-90 Italian series featuring Serie A stars. Of the 116 cards from the set graded by PSA, 86 are Maradonas, but only three have achieved the perfect PSA 10 grade.

Years before his death, Maradona expressed a complex regret over his most infamous moment. In an interview, he apologized for the 'Hand of God' goal that helped eliminate England from the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals. 'If I could apologise and go back and change history I would,' Maradona said through a translator. But he immediately added, 'the goal is still a goal. Argentina became world champions and I was the best player in the world.' He also claimed that, had he never struggled with cocaine, there would be no debate that he was the greatest player ever, not Pelé.

Despite being widely considered one of the two greatest players of all time, neither Diego Maradona nor Pelé ever won the Ballon d'Or. This historical footnote is due to the award's original rules, which until 1995 were restricted to European players only. Maradona, an Argentine who played his peak years at Napoli in Italy, was therefore ineligible for the prize during his entire career.

• Key Takeaways
• A court expert in Maradona's death trial suggested Covid-19 could have been a cause, contradicting the negligence case.
• A rare Maradona collectible card sold for a record $2,100 in August 2026.
• Maradona once offered a conditional apology for his 1986 'Hand of God' goal against England.

Maradona's legacy remains a powerful force, continually generating new legal, cultural, and sporting conversations long after his passing. The ongoing trial seeks definitive answers, while the collectibles market votes with its wallet.