• Argentina football legend Diego Maradona, aged 60. AP
    Argentina football legend Diego Maradona, aged 60. AP
  • Basketball star Kobe Bryant, 41. Getty
    Basketball star Kobe Bryant, 41. Getty
  • Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, aged 73. AFP
    Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, aged 73. AFP
  • Italian World Cup winner Paolo Rossi, aged 64. AP
    Italian World Cup winner Paolo Rossi, aged 64. AP
  • Australian cricketerer Dean Jones, aged 59. Getty
    Australian cricketerer Dean Jones, aged 59. Getty
  • Jack Charlton, England World Cup winner and Republic of Ireland manager, aged 85. Getty
    Jack Charlton, England World Cup winner and Republic of Ireland manager, aged 85. Getty
  • West Indies batsman Everton Weekes, aged 95. Getty
    West Indies batsman Everton Weekes, aged 95. Getty
  • British racing driver Stirling Moss, 90. Getty
    British racing driver Stirling Moss, 90. Getty
  • New York Yankees pitcher Ed (Whitey) Ford, aged 91. Getty
    New York Yankees pitcher Ed (Whitey) Ford, aged 91. Getty
  • Former French national team manager Michel Hidalgo, 87. AFP
    Former French national team manager Michel Hidalgo, 87. AFP
  • England, Liverpool and Tottenham goalkeeper Ray Clemence, 72. Getty
    England, Liverpool and Tottenham goalkeeper Ray Clemence, 72. Getty
  • England and Manchester United footballer Nobby Stiles, 78. Getty
    England and Manchester United footballer Nobby Stiles, 78. Getty
  • French rugby star Christophe Dominici, 48. PA
    French rugby star Christophe Dominici, 48. PA
  • Serbian football player and manager Radomir Antic, 71. AFP
    Serbian football player and manager Radomir Antic, 71. AFP
  • England and Glamorgan cricketer Tony Lewis, and TV presenter, aged 78. Getty
    England and Glamorgan cricketer Tony Lewis, and TV presenter, aged 78. Getty
  • English snooker star Willie Thorne, 66. Getty
    English snooker star Willie Thorne, 66. Getty
  • Leeds and England footballer Norman Hunter, 76. Getty
    Leeds and England footballer Norman Hunter, 76. Getty
  • NBA commissioner David Stern, 77. Getty
    NBA commissioner David Stern, 77. Getty
  • English golfer and commentator Peter Alliss, 89. Getty
    English golfer and commentator Peter Alliss, 89. Getty
  • Papa Bouba Diop, former Senegal, Fulham and Portsmouth footballer, aged 42. Getty
    Papa Bouba Diop, former Senegal, Fulham and Portsmouth footballer, aged 42. Getty
  • England cricket all-rounder David Capel, 57. Getty
    England cricket all-rounder David Capel, 57. Getty
  • British boxer Alan Minter, 69. Getty
    British boxer Alan Minter, 69. Getty
  • American golfer Doug Sanders, aged 89. PGA Tour
    American golfer Doug Sanders, aged 89. PGA Tour
  • Chelsea and England footballer Peter Bonetti, 78. Getty
    Chelsea and England footballer Peter Bonetti, 78. Getty
  • Leeds United and England footballer Trevor Cherry, 72, Getty
    Leeds United and England footballer Trevor Cherry, 72, Getty
  • Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballer Harry Gregg, survivor of the 1958 Munich air disaster, aged 87. Getty
    Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballer Harry Gregg, survivor of the 1958 Munich air disaster, aged 87. Getty
  • England rugby Grand Slam winner Mike Slemen, 69. PA
    England rugby Grand Slam winner Mike Slemen, 69. PA
  • Liverpool and Osasuna footballer and Spanish TV pundit Michael Robinson, 61. Getty
    Liverpool and Osasuna footballer and Spanish TV pundit Michael Robinson, 61. Getty
  • Australian tennis player Ashley Cooper, a Wimbledon winner, aged 83. Getty
    Australian tennis player Ashley Cooper, a Wimbledon winner, aged 83. Getty
  • British tennis player Angela Buxton, 85. Getty
    British tennis player Angela Buxton, 85. Getty

30 sports stars we lost in 2020: From Diego Maradona and Kobe Bryant to Paolo Rossi and Gerard Houllier


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Diego Maradona's death last month shook the world of sport in a year which began with the tragic loss of basketball hero Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash.

Maradona's death brought Argentina to a standstill and caused a wave of grief in his adopted home of Naples. He brought joy to the southern Italian city by leading unfashionable Napoli to two Serie A titles and the 1989 Uefa Cup.

The passing of Maradona, who dragged Argentina to glory at the 1986 World Cup where he scored the 'Goal of the Century' against England – as well as the infamous 'Hand of God' goal, led to three days of national mourning in his home country.

Bryant was killed in January alongside his 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles that also took the lives of seven other people.

LA Lakers great Bryant was a five-time NBA champion in a career that began in 1996 straight out of a high school.

He was a two-time Olympic gold medallist, helping spark the US squad to titles in 2008 and 2012.

Maradona and Bryant were just two of the high-profile sports stars who died in 2020. For some of the other stars who left us, including Italian football legends Paolo Rossi, England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, and Formula One great Stirling Moss, see the gallery above.