Zagreb: Diego Maradona will play in a charity soccer match in Croatia on June 17 with several other retired soccer stars, Croatian newspapers reported on Wednesday.

Maradona agreed to play in the northern coastal city of Novi Vinodolski to raise money for a local orphanage. Others involved are former Croatia internationals Davor Suker and Zvonimir Boban.

The match is planned to accompany an ATP senior tour event in Novi Vinodolski on June 15-18, which will gather retired tennis stars such as Goran Ivanisevic, Boris Becker, and John McEnroe. Organisers hope to arrange a match between Maradona and McEnroe.


----

Its a little unclear, but I guess that means Goran will play in this match?

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Diego Maradona scored a handful of goals on Wednesday in a charity soccer match with retired sports stars including former Wimbledon champions Goran Ivanisevic and Boris Becker.

Maradona, who captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, agreed to play in the northern Croatian coastal city of Novi Vinodolski to raise money for a local orphanage.

It was one of the rare times Maradona, one of soccer's greatest players, has been seen on a field since retiring in 1997 after a career blighted by cocaine addiction.

Joining former Croatia soccer players Zvonimir Boban and Davor Suker, Maradona showed off by juggling the ball, volleying from afar or setting up great opportunities for his teammates.

A boisterous crowd, packed to the rafters, roared every time Maradona touched the ball.

The match, played on a makeshift field of artificial grass laid over a tennis court, was a side-attraction for the ATP Senior Tour being held in this Adriatic resort from June 15-18, featuring such stars as John McEnroe, Ivanisevic, and Thomas Muster.

Becker was also slated to play in the tennis tournament, but he injured his knee and instead appeared only in the soccer match.

Organizers expected to arrange a tennis match between Maradona and McEnroe on Thursday.

Maradona, who recently appeared as a spectator at exhibition matches in Spain and Italy, has often found himself in trouble off the field. He became obese over the years and was forced to undergo gastric bypass surgery in March to help reduce his weight by 110 pounds within a year.

Before the operation, the five-foot-six Argentine weighed 266 pounds.

"I still play with my family at home and it can get really tough," Maradona said, adding that his condition was "very good".

"I am good and everything is only getting better," he said.