Argentina has lost an “idol” following the death of Diego Maradona, former national team manager Marcelo Bielsa has said.

Maradona, regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, died on Wednesday after a reported heart attack.

He inspired his country to World Cup glory in 1986, and also helped Napoli win the Italian league title in 1987 and 1990.

Maradona is a hugely controversial figure in England after his ‘Hand of God’ goal helped knock the country out of the 1986 World Cup.

Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper beaten to the ball by Maradona, told Sky Sports News: “He was quite clever because he flicked his head at the same time (as handling it). He had a very quick football brain and he knew what he was doing.

“I didn’t expect Maradona to go up to the referee and say, ‘I handballed that’, but I think after the game, he talked about the Hand of God, he didn’t really apologise and say, ‘I got away with it’. It was a bit unsportsmanlike.

“That really rubbed the salt in the wounds as far as the (England) team was concerned.”

Nevertheless, Shilton said Maradona was the greatest player he ever came up against.