Video: Five of Diego Maradona's greatest goals

Buenos Aires, Argentina - Maradona may have passed away, but the magic he created on the football pitch will live on for ever in fans' hearts and minds.

Few players mastered the spectacular quite like Diego Maradona. From stunning free-kicks to winding dribbles, the Argentine, who has died at the age of 60, scored some of the most famous -- and thrilling -- goals in football history.

Here AFP Sport picks five of the best from arguably the greatest footballer to ever play the game:

The 'Goal of the Century'

The solo goal against which all solo goals will be judged. Named the "Goal of the Century" by Fifa in 2002, his high-speed slalom in Mexico in 1986 ended England's World Cup and cemented Maradona's position as the world's best footballer.

The goal trumps others of its type not just because of its impact, the stage, the spectre of the Falklands War and the fact that it came just minutes after his notorious 'Hand of God' goal, but for the efficiency of its execution.

Maradona barely deviates from his path towards goal the moment he spins free in midfield, with a few drops of the shoulder enough to embarrass England for the second time in the space of five minutes.

"Diego assures me that he meant to pass to me several times but there was always some obstacle that forced him to change plans. Just as well," striker Jorge Valdano, who followed Maradona up the field, said later.

"But let's not deceive ourselves, I am convinced that Diego was never going to release that ball. Throughout those 10 seconds and 10 touches, he changed his mind hundreds of times because that's how the mind of genius in action works."

The 'Divine free-kick' that conquered Naples

Nicknamed the "divine free-kick" in Italy, Maradona's iconic winning goal for Napoli in the November 1985 home clash with Michel Platini's Juventus -- reigning European champions -- was the one that created the Argentine's legend in Naples.

Standing over an indirect free-kick well inside the penalty area, legend has it that Maradona asked midfielder Eraldo Pecci to roll him the ball for a shot despite the closeness of the Juventus wall.

With Napoli players furious at their Juve counterparts for not stepping further back, Maradona simply said: "Don't worry, I'll score anyway".

A quick touch from Pecci was all he needed to flick a stupendous effort over a group of Juve players who were practically on his toes as he hit the ball and past a bamboozled Stefano Tacconi in the Juve goal.

"With this goal," he wrote in 2017, "I conquered the hearts of Neapolitans."

'El Pibe' volleys Verona

There were more crucial goals among Maradona's 115 for Napoli, but few matched the sheer nonchalance of his outrageous lob in a 5-0 hammering of reigning Serie A champions Hellas Verona in October 1985.

Collecting a long pass with his back to goal on the left flank, Maradona span round and saw future teammate Giuliano Giuliani positioned just too far to the left, only a few yards off his line.

The shot both floated and flew past a bewildered River and Argentina stopper Ubaldo Fillol, who in a foreshadowing of Giuliani's desperation for Verona, raced in vain towards his near post but was beaten before he had even moved.