Marcos Franchi, the prominent Argentine businessman and former representative of Diego Armando Maradona and Juan Román Riquelme, died at the age of 75 at the Hospital Alemán in Buenos Aires, according to reports from the news agency Noticias Argentinas. Franchi had been hospitalized during his final days while battling a complicated illness.
A Central Figure During Maradona’s Tumultuous Era
Franchi stepped into a central role within the inner circle of the Argentine World Cup champion during the second half of 1990, after Maradona decided to end his professional relationship with Guillermo Coppola. For the next four years, through 1994, Franchi managed the iconic player’s career through some of the most dramatic chapters in modern football history.
That period included Maradona’s 15-month suspension following a positive doping control test in 1991, which kept the player sidelined from official matches. Franchi handled the intense media scrutiny and administrative hurdles during that suspension, remaining a fixture in the player's camp.
The working relationship reached its conclusion following a second doping violation detected during the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Following that tournament exit and subsequent disciplinary fallout, Maradona returned to working with Coppola.
Guiding Riquelme and Managing Back Sports
Beyond his years with Maradona, Franchi maintained a lasting footprint in Argentine football as an agent and manager for several high-profile players. His client roster over the decades included Juan Román Riquelme, Matías Almeyda, and Diego Placente.
In addition to individual player representation, Franchi served as co-owner of the enterprise Back Sports alongside attorney Daniel Bolotnicoff, a legal and professional figure who also shared extensive advisory ties to both Maradona and Riquelme throughout their careers.
Tributes Across Argentine Football
Following confirmation of his death, the official Instagram account of Diego Maradona published a tribute to the longtime manager via a story post. The message read: “Querido Marcos, gracias por estar siempre, en las buenas y en las malas, que descanses en paz.”
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