Describing Dubai as his second home, Argentine icon Diego Maradona said he was thrilled to be hired for another year in his role as global ambassador for the sports-mad Gulf city.

Maradona, who was fired as coach of the Dubai-based club Al Wasl after only one season, has spent the past year traveling the globe as an ambassador for the Dubai Sports Council. The council announced on Tuesday it will extend his contract but offered no details on how much it will pay the football great.

Along with promoting sports in Dubai, Maradona will oversee football academies in the city aimed at raising the quality of football across the United Arab Emirates. Maradona praised UAE football but said "passion" and love of the game was lacking.