ROME - Diego Maradona on Monday ended his controversial exile from Italy, where he famously led Napoli to their sole titles in the Serie A football championship.
The Argentine World Cup winner had rarely stepped foot in Italy since leaving under a cloud in the 1990s amid claims of collusion with mafia dons and a positive drugs test for cocaine.
It was later claimed by the Italian authorities that Maradona owed the state millions in unpaid taxes.
Dozens of fans turned up at Rome's Fiumicino airport to see the Argentinian, many of whom shouted "Welcome back!" as he was driven away.
One fan in particular wearing Juventus colours caught Maradona's attention. The champions travel to Naples to face Napoli on Friday night.
Maradona is set to watch his former club in Udinese on Monday and will then give a news conference on Tuesday, at which he is expected to speak about the tax issue.
He was convicted in 2005 and ordered to pay 37.2 million euros ($A48 million), including 23.5 million euros ($A30 million) in interest for late payments.