DUBAI, Sept 3: Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, sacked in July as coach of Dubai’s Al Wasl, has been appointed as Honorary Ambassador of Sports in Dubai under a deal inked at a media conference.

In terms of the one-year contract signed between Maradona and the Dubai Sports Council on Sunday, the 51-year-old star will leverage his experience to develop the game of football in the Gulf emirate.

“The Dubai Sports Council and I have discussed a few ideas regarding what should be done in the coming period in the field of sports to discover new talent in the coming generation of local athletes. This was the greatest incentive for me to accept this mission,” Maradona told the press conference.

“Hosting successful global sporting events has put Dubai on the global sports map, and I trust that this will help to encourage more home-grown stars to come out to challenge the rest of the world,” he added.

Maradona was sacked as coach of Al Wasl only one year after being appointed to the job, after failing to win a trophy last season.

The star — who as a player almost single-handedly guided Argentina to the 1986 World Cup trophy and then to the 1990 final — had another year left on his contract.—AFP