Moments after Argentina advanced to the last 16, news broke that Diego Maradona was hospitalised.

However, minutes later, news of his death spread like wildfire through social media networks. Furious over the reports, Maradona announced a cash reward of USD 10,000 (INR 6,86,000) to identify the source of the news. 

Argentina were on the brink of elimination heading into the match against Nigeria. Much to the delight of the Argentina fans, Lionel Messi broke his goal drought to score in the first half, but Nigeria pulled off the equaliser six minutes into the second half when Victor Moses converted the penalty.

With three minutes left on the clock, Marcos Rojo volleyed a corner to the bottom left corner to pave way for Argentina into the round of 16. Maradona, who had guided Argentina to World Cup triumph in 1986, celebrated jubilantly from the stand. The highlight of the match was Maradona's weird antics, as he could barely stand.

At the end of the match, he was spotted being carried away by officials. However, reports through WhatsApp voice notified his fans about his death. Messages from a man with an Argentine accent said that the 57-year-old had died of cardiac arrest. However, Maradona denied that he was hospitalised and clarified that he was suffering a problem with his neck. "I'm perfect. I've never been better," he told reporters.

"I gave instructions to make public the decision to offer a reward of 300,000 pesos (around $10,000) to anyone who can provide true and accurate information about the author of the audios," lawyer Matias Morla told Argentina's Clarin daily from Russia.

"It's a subject that at one time alarmed him. It's no secret how he lives through a game. How he lived them as a player is how he lives them as a fan." Morla added that Maradona shouldn't have been at the venue to watch the second-half of the match between Argentina and Nigeria for the doctor had recommended him to take rest.

"The doctors told him to rest, not to stay for the second half of the Argentina-Nigeria match, but asking that of Maradona is like asking a son not to love his mother. For Diego, the team is Dona Tota (his mother), and he will never let her on her own," he said.

Maradona has been ardently following Argentina's struggle through the group stages and will be expected to be the at the Kazan Arena to watch the team take on France in the kick off to the round of 16.

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