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Sad Details Emerge From Diego Maradona's Autopsy

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Mar 30, 2025 1:48 PM ET

An expert who performed Diego Maradona's autopsy said the Argentinian soccer legend suffered for at least 12 hours before he died.

Following Maradona's passing on Nov. 25, 2020, an autopsy determined that he died from acute pulmonary edema secondary to congestive heart failure. Seven healthcare professionals are on trial for alleged negligence in their medical treatment.

Carlos Cassinelli, director of Forensic Medicine at the Scientific Police Superintendency, discussed the autopsy results during Thursday's trial. Cassinelli said Maradona's heart "was completely covered in fat and blood clots," indicators of agony.

"This is a patient who had been collecting water over the days; that's not acute. This was something that was foreseeable," Cassinelli said, per the Associated Press. "Any doctor examining a patient would find this."

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 13: Argentina player Diego Maradona (c) takes on the Belguim defence during the 1982 FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Belguim at the Nou Camp stadium on June 13, 1982 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Steve Powell/Allsport/Getty Images)

Maradona was under house care when he had a cardiac arrest at his Buenos Aires home. The 1986 World Cup winner died at age 60, weeks after undergoing brain surgery.

A neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, doctors, and nurses are accused of homicide with possible intent. That includes Leopoldo Luqueface, Maradona's personal physician for four years, and Agustina Cosachov, a psychiatrist who prescribed Maradona's medication before his death.

Each defendant faces eight to 25 years of prison time if convicted. Another nurse faces a trial by jury later this year.

According to the Associated Press report, multiple witnesses claimed during testimonies that Maradona's face and abdomen region were "excessively swollen" before his death.

One of the greatest soccer players of all time, Maradona was renowned for his unparalleled field vision and ball control. He scored 34 goals in 91 career international games for Argentina and later managed the national team.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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