Mauro Bellugi, in blue, has had both of his legs amputated due to COVID-19 complications ©Getty Images

Former Italian footballer Mauro Bellugi has had both his leg amputated after experiencing complications from COVID-19.

The 70-year-old had been hospitalised at the Niguarda Hospital in Milan with coronavirus at the start of November. 

Doctors were forced to carry out a double leg amputation after a worsening of pre-existing conditions, as reported by Agence France-Presse. 

"They also took off my leg with which I scored against Borussia Moenchengladbach," Bellugi said, referring to a goal he scored for Inter Milan in the 1971 European Cup. 

Bellugi was a defender who made 90 and 93 league appearances respectively for Italian teams Inter Milan and Bologna.

Mauro Bellugi was part of the Italian national team at the 1978 FIFA World Cup ©Getty Images
Mauro Bellugi was part of the Italian national team at the 1978 FIFA World Cup ©Getty Images

He also made 30 league appearances for Napoli, before retiring in 1981 while at Pistoiese.

Bellugi played 31 matches for the Italian national team.

This included five games at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina when Italy finished fourth. 

After a brief stint in coaching, Bellugi became a football pundit on Italian television.