Soccer Standout Maradona Discusses Drug Addiction In Comprehensive Interview

Diego Maradona has confessed his drug addiction and outlined his daily struggle to kick the habit in a magazine interview.

“I was, I am and I always will be a drug addict,” Maradona said in a lengthy interview with the weekly Argentinian magazine Gente.

Maradona also talked about how he began using cocaine in 1982, at the age of 22, while playing in Europe.

“I tried drugs in football. Because in football, just like everywhere else, there are drugs. They’ve always been there. I wasn’t the only one. A lot of players used them.”

Maradona, 35, was arrested in 1991 for drug possession and distribution and sentenced to court-supervised treatment.

Bruce Arena, who led Virginia’s men’s soccer team to four consecutive NCAA titles, quit to become coach of Washington United in Major League Soccer.

Arena, also coach of the U.S. Olympic team, will be replaced by George Gelnovatch, his top assistant since the 1992 season.

The MSL’s New York/New Jersey Metrostars hired coach Eddie Firmani and goalie Tony Meola, the former starter for the U.S. national team.

Former Republic of Ireland international star Frank Stapleton will reportedly be named head coach of the MSL’s New England Revolution today.