Former Argentina manager Sabella dies

Former Leeds and Sheffield United player and Argentina national manager Alejandro Sabella has died at the age of 66.

Sabella, who guided his country to the final of the 2014 World Cup, had been in hospital since late November.

He made 76 appearances for the Blades between 1978 and 1980 before joining Leeds, for whom he played 23 times.

His death comes just two weeks after the death of another former Argentina player and manager, Diego Maradona.

A tweet by the Argentine Football Association read: “The family of the #LigaProfesional football @AFA deeply regrets the death of Alejandro Sabella, and accompanies all his loved ones in this sad moment.”

Sabella joined Sheffield United from River Plate after the club failed to sign Maradona.

He would return to his home country after his subsequent short spell at Elland Road to join Estudiantes, whom he would later manage and lead to the Copa Libertadores in 2009.

His time as coach of the Argentine national side, for whom he also played eight times, began in 2011 and ended after the 2014 tournament, which saw his side beaten by Germany in the final.

BBC Online