(ANSA) - The sweetest feet soccer has ever seen will have a new vocation in September when Diego
Maradona joins the cast of an Italian dance reality show.
The former Naples and Argentina great has agreed to appear on state broadcaster RAI's Ballando Con Le Stelle - the Italian version of UK reality Strictly Come Dancing.
The show, a hit with viewers here last year, pairs celebrities with top professional dancers. The pros teach their illustrious partners the steps of a variety of dances and perform a fresh ballroom routine with them each episode.
The competition follows the standard reality-show format, with a couple being voted off the programme each week - the winning team is the last one standing.
During his soccer career Maradona showed unprecedented agility and skill with his feet. He also comes from the land of the tango, so the basics should be there for him to cut a fine figure on the show.
Perhaps the only problem is the player's weight. The Argentine recently lost 35 kilos after completing a drastic weight-loss programme, which included gastric surgery, in a bid to solve health problems caused by years of overeating and drug abuse.
Nevertheless, Maradona is still some way off his ideal weight and tends to waddle slightly when he walks. His presence on the show is certain to be a strong magnet to viewers. Italy's love for the remarkable player is undiminished, 14 years after he abruptly left Napoli amid a drugs scandal.
Earlier this month there were emotional scenes in Naples, when he returned to the city for the first time since 1991 to attend a testimonial match for ex-Napoli team-mate Ciro Ferrara.
Massive groups of fans chanted songs to him outside his hotel in the city for hours each day during the stay. Maradona was also given a magnificent reception by the crowd at Ferrara's farewell game at his former footballing home, the San Paolo Stadium.
The seaside town of Jesolo near Venice has even decided to name a stretch of local coastline after him this summer. Maradona scored 115 goals in 259 appearances during his seven-year stretch at Napoli, leading the team to its only two Italian league titles, an Italian Cup and a UEFA Cup win. He also won the 1986 World Cup with the Argentine national team during his spell in the city.
He became a god-like figure for the Naples masses, who were finally able to celebrate triumphs rivalling the great northern teams.
Shrines to 'San Diego' popped up all around town and Diego became the most popular name for newborn males. Maradona left Napoli in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine.
