Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona [Images] was briefly detained at Rio de Janeiro's international airport on Thursday after arguing with airline staff and breaking objects in the VIP room, police said.

Police held Maradona, 45, for several hours in the morning before releasing him. A police officer told Reuters he had boarded a flight to return to Buenos Aires later on Thursday.

Maradona, who has been plagued by health problems since he retired in 1997, had played a benefit game organised by ex-Brazilian star and current Japan [Images] coach Zico in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday.

He arrived late at Tom Jobim International Airport for a flight back to Argentina and began arguing with staff of the TAM airline, police said.

"There was a problem with TAM staff, it turned nasty and the police were called. It got worse with the police and he was detained for resisting arrest," the spokesman said.

However, fellow former Argentina player Alejandro Mancuso, who was with him, told an Argentine radio station that Maradona had been well-behaved and was not late for the plane.

"It was an incredible thing. We arrived at the airport with Diego very quiet. We were in the duty-free shop. When they announced boarding, we approached and then they closed the plane door in our faces. The anger was logical and justified."

Mancuso said that when they asked for an explanation, a TAM staffer called the police and four officers arrived with pistols in their hand.

Police said that Maradona was released after agreeing to pay for damage caused when he flung objects around the VIP room. Police decided against testing him to see if he was intoxicated, police doctor Roger Ancelotti said.

An Argentine diplomat went to the airport to help resolve the matter.

Maradona had played for about 80 minutes in the benefit match, which pitted former stars against current professionals, delighting the crowd.

He is considered one of the greatest players of all time but since his retirement in 1997 he has been bedevilled by cocaine addiction, alcohol abuse and obesity.

Lately however he appeared to be on the mend after several years in and out of rehabilitation, including a spell in Cuba where he was befriended by President Fidel Castro.

Last month he made a surprise appearance in a friendly game before a Boca Juniors match, the club he played for as a youngster before going on to greater fame in Europe.

He led protests against U.S. President George W. Bush when he attended a summit in Argentina last month. He also has his own talk show on Argentine TV.

In his glory days, Maradona led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and captained the team in the 1990 tournament, when it lost in the final.

• Complete football coverage