<
>

Mario Kempes back at ESPN post after heart surgery

BRISTOL, Conn. -- Retired Argentine soccer star Mario Kempes has returned to work at ESPN, a month after heart surgery.

Kempes, who had six bypasses on Sept. 30, provided Spanish-language analysis for Atletico Madrid's Champions League game against Malmo on Tuesday on ESPN International networks.

He is slated to work Bayern Munich vs. AS Roma on Wednesday and return next week to ESPN Deportes' daily soccer studio program.

ESPN commentator Fernando Palomo welcomed Kempes back with a tweet that said: "The news of the day! Mario Kempes at the home of the Champions. It is like watching the sun rise!"

Kempes scored 20 goals in 43 international appearances, played in three World Cups and helped Argentina win its first world title in 1978, when he led the tournament with six goals.

After a pair of two-goal games in second-round matches against Poland and Peru, he scored twice in the 3-1 win over the Netherlands in the final.

The 60-year-old Kempes has been a soccer commentator for ESPN since 2004.