MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Italian tax police seize Maradona’s earrings

Defeats in the field and in the clinic

Football legend Diego Maradona had his earrings seized by Italian authorities to help pay off his back taxes, according to media reports. The current coach of Argentina's national team was staying at a clinic in northern Italy in a bid to lose weight when finance police swooped, according to Reuters and later confirmed by the Argentine press.

The jewelry was said to be worth €4,000, approximately 5.900 US dollars.

Italian tax authorities say he owes the country €31 million (45 million USD) in back taxes from when he played for top league club Napoli between 1984 and 1991. Maradona argues that Napoli should pay the taxes.

Three years ago, tax police took two Rolex watches from him when he was back in Italy for a benefit match.

The 48-year old is under intense pressure in Argentina after a dismal World Cup qualifying campaign left his star-studded team in danger of missing their first tournament since 1970.

After a recent defeat against Paraguay he was quoted by FIFA.com as saying, “I am not afraid of criticism. I am afraid of nobody. I am doing my job, I have my team and I am going to go forward”.

”I have been battling critics since I was 15 years old. Now I am 48 and I am going to continue to battle with them [the press]”.

However the Spanish press reports that Argentina has been sounding for a replacement of the legendary player who conquered the World Cup for Argentina in 1986 and only lost the final to Germany in 1990 in Italy.