Diego Maradona leaves job in UAE after failing to secure automatic promotion

Diego Maradona had only been in charge of the UAE club for 11 months

Diego Maradona resigned as coach of United Arab Emirates second division club Al Fujairah on Friday after his team failed to gain promotion.

The 57-year-old Argentine legend, a former World Cup winner, had been in charge since May 2017 and revealed he was stepping down after a 1-1 draw against Khorfakkan.

The result meant his club could not finish higher than third in the table.

"After today's match, and having failed to achieve the objective of promotion, Diego Maradona will no longer be the coach of the team," Maradona's lawyer Matias Morla said.

The lawyer insisted the decision "had been a mutual agreement" with the club and that he wished Al Fujairah "the best".

After being appointed 11 months ago, Maradona had the task of getting Al Fujairah back into the top-flight after a two-year absence.

It was his second managerial spell in the UAE, after a year in charge of Al-Wasl.

He also managed the Argentina national team from 2008 to 2010.