Diego Maradona's contract as coach of the Argentine national soccer team will not be renewed,

Maradona out as Argentina coach

By the CNN Wire Staff July 28, 2010 -- Updated 0932 GMT (1732 HKT)

(CNN) -- Diego Maradona's contract as coach of the Argentine national soccer team will not be renewed, the spokesman for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said Tuesday.
The decision was made unanimously by the association's executive committee Tuesday afternoon, after a meeting Monday night between Maradona and the association's president, Julio Grondona, said the spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo.
Sergio Batista, currently coach of the Argentine national youth program and coach of the 2008 gold-medal winning Olympic team, will take over temporarily, Cherquis said.
Batista will coach the team for an August 11 friendly match against Ireland in Dublin.

Germany destroy Argentina in quarterfinal
Under Maradona, the country's greatest ever player, Argentina reached the quarterfinals of this year's World Cup in South Africa before being ousted after a 4-0 drubbing by Germany.
The 49-year-old took charge of the national side in November 2008 and oversaw a turbulent qualification campaign, which included a 6-1 thrashing in Bolivia.
The Albiceleste eventually rallied and qualified for South Africa via a late goal against Uruguay in their last game in October.
Following the victory, Maradona unleashed an obscene tirade at journalists and was banned for two months.
The episode marked the latest controversy in a career interspersed with moments of glory and controversy.
In 1986 he scored an infamous "Hand of God" goal against England on the way to inspiring Argentina to World Cup victory.
He was suspended from football for 15 months in 1991 after failing a doping test for cocaine while playing for Napoli in Italy, and was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the U.S. for using ephedrine.
Since retiring from playing aged 37, he has battled several health problems related to his weight, drugs and alcohol.