Diego Maradona, who chairs the board of the soccer club Dinamo Brest, has not ruled out living in Belarus after retiring.

"I am sure this is a serious project. If I end my career in Brest, I will probably stay and live here," Maradona said at a press conference on Monday.

He also said that he was ready to practice with the club and that his late mother had been a major support for him.

"First of all, I would like to thank my mom who's in heaven for everything. She is guiding me in everything I do," Maradona said.

He said that he had not been on vacation for over a year and was looking forward to a break before starting the serious job in Brest. "Right now the only thing I can do is take a short leave. I haven't been to Argentina for a year and a half now, haven't seen my kids, sisters, and other relatives," Maradona said.

He also said that he fully trusted the management of the club with which he signed a contract.

Dinamo Brest's director for development, Viktor Radkov, said at the press conference that a soccer academy named after Maradona will open in Brest.

"We are planning to build a big complex with a 30,000-seat stadium, a sport complex, a business center, a shopping center, and a Diego Maradona soccer academy, which is our special focus right now," Radkov said.

The academy will train talented children from Belarus and other countries, "who will win the Europa League and the Champions League," he said.

Maradona flew to Belarus on Monday afternoon. He gave a press conference and attended a national cup match between Dinamo Brest and Shakhtyor Soligorsk.

At Dinamo Brest, Maradona will be in charge of the club's strategic development. His role will also include liaising with all of the club's divisions, including its children's academy.