Diego Maradona

"Maradona" redirects here. For other uses, see Maradona (disambiguation).

Diego Maradona

Maradona with Al Wasl in 2012
Personal information
Full name Diego Armando Maradona[note 1]
Date of birth (1960-10-30) 30 October 1960
Place of birth Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Playing position Attacking midfielder
Second striker[2][3][4][5]
Youth career
1968–1969 Estrella Roja
1970–1974 Los Cebollitas
1975–1976 Argentinos Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1976–1981 Argentinos Juniors 166 (116)
1981–1982 Boca Juniors 40 (28)
1982–1984 Barcelona 36 (22)
1984–1991 Napoli 188 (81)
1992–1993 Sevilla 26 (5)
1993–1994 Newell's Old Boys 5 (0)
1995–1997 Boca Juniors 30 (7)
Total 491 (259)
National team
1977–1979 Argentina U20 24 (13)
1977–1994 Argentina 91 (34)
Teams managed
1994 Mandiyú de Corrientes
1995 Racing Club
2008–2010 Argentina
2011–2012 Al Wasl

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Diego Armando Maradona (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo maɾaˈðona], born 30 October 1960) is a retired Argentine professional footballer. He has served as a manager and coach at other clubs as well as the national team of Argentina. Many in the sport, including football writers, former players, current players and football fans, regard Maradona as the greatest football player of all time.[6][7][8][9] He was joint FIFA Player of the 20th Century with Pelé.[10][11]

An advanced playmaker who operated in the classic number 10 position, Maradona is the only player in football history to set the world record transfer fee twice, first when he transferred to Barcelona for a then world record £5 million, and second, when he transferred to Napoli for another record fee £6.9 million.[12] He played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys during his club career, and is most famous for his time at Napoli where he won numerous accolades. In his international career with Argentina, he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals. Maradona's exceptional vision, passing, ball control, dribbling skills, speed, reflexes and thinking time was combined with his small size (he was 5'5", or 1.65m) giving him a low center of gravity which allowed him to be more maneuverable than most other football players; he would often dribble past multiple opposing players on a run. His presence on the pitch had a great effect on his team's general performance, while he would often be singled out by the opposition. A precocious talent, Maradona was given the nickname "El Pibe de Oro" ("The Golden Boy"), a name that stuck with him throughout his career.[13]

Maradona played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico where he captained Argentina and led them to victory over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. In the 1986 World Cup quarter final, he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over England that entered football history for two different reasons. The first goal was an unpenalized handling foul known as the "Hand of God", while the second goal followed a 60 m (66 yd) dribble past five England players, voted "The Goal of the Century" by FIFA.com voters in 2002.[14]

Maradona became coach of Argentina in November 2008. He was in charge of the team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa before leaving at the end of the tournament. He coached Dubai-based club Al Wasl in the UAE Pro-League for the 2011–12 season. In August 2013, Maradona joined Argentine Primera D club Deportivo Riestra's staff as "spiritual coach".[15]

Early years

"When Diego came to Argentinos Juniors for trials, I was really struck by his talent and couldn't believe he was only eight years old. In fact, we asked him for his ID card so we could check it, but he told us he didn't have it on him. We were sure he was having us on because, although he had the physique of a child, he played like an adult. When we discovered he'd been telling us the truth, we decided to devote ourselves purely to him."

—Francisco Cornejo, youth coach who discovered Maradona.[16]

Diego Maradona was born on 30 October 1960, at the Policlínico (Polyclinic) Evita Hospital in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, but raised in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina,[17] to a poor family that had moved from Corrientes Province. He was the first son after three daughters. He has two younger brothers, Hugo (el Turco) and Raúl (Lalo), both of whom were also professional football players. Maradona is of Italian, Spanish, Croatian, Indigenous-Argentinian ancestry.[18][19] His surname originates from the Spanish region Galicia.[18][20][21]

He was the fifth child and first son of Diego Maradona 'Chitoro' and Dalma Salvadora Franco 'Doña Tota' (1930–2011). Both his parents were illegitimate children. His father took the family name of his mother because his father did not recognise him as his own. Maradona's mother was not recognised by her father, Atanancio Ramón Edisto Franco, until she was eighteen years old. Maradona's parents were both born and brought up in the town of Esquina in the north-east province of Corrientes Province, living only two hundred metres from each other on the banks of the Corriente River. In 1950, they left Esquina and settled in Buenos Aires. At age eight, Maradona was spotted by a talent scout while he was playing in his neighbourhood club Estrella Roja. He became a staple of Los Cebollitas (The Little Onions), the junior team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors. As a 12-year-old ball boy, he amused spectators by showing his wizardry with the ball during the halftime intermissions of first division games.[22] He named Brazilian playmaker Rivelino and Manchester United winger George Best among his inspirations growing up.[23][24]

Club career

Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors

Maradona celebrating his first goal with Boca Juniors, February 1981

On 20 October 1976, Maradona made his professional debut for Argentinos Juniors, ten days before his sixteenth birthday.[25] He entered to the pitch wearing the number 16 jersey, and after the game stated: "That day I felt I had held the sky in my hands".[26] Maradona scored his first goal in the Primera División against Marplatense team San Lorenzo on 14 November 1976, two weeks after turning 16.[27] Maradona spent five years at Argentinos Juniors, from 1976 to 1981, scoring 115 goals in 167 appearances before his US$ 4 million transfer to Boca Juniors.[28] Maradona received offers to join other clubs, including River Plate who offered to make him the club's best paid player.[29] Nevertheless, Maradona expressed his will to be transferred to Boca Juniors, the team he always wanted to play for.[30]

Maradona signed a contract with Boca Juniors on 20 February 1981. He made his debut two days later against Talleres de Córdoba, scoring twice in the club's 4-1 win. On 10 April, Maradona played his first Superclásico against River Plate at La Bombonera. Boca defeated River 3-0 with Maradona scoring a goal after dribbling past Tarantini and Fillol.[31] Despite the distrustful relationship between Maradona and Boca Juniors manager, Silvio Marzolini,[32] Boca had a successful season, winning the league title after securing a point against Racing Club.[33] That would be the only title won by Maradona in the Argentine domestic league.[34]

Barcelona

"He had complete mastery of the ball. When Maradona ran with the ball or dribbled through the defence, he seemed to have the ball tied to his boots. I remember our early training sessions with him: the rest of the team were so amazed that they just stood and watched him. We all thought ourselves privileged to be witnesses of his genius."

—Barcelona teammate Lobo Carrasco.[35]

After the 1982 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain for a then world record fee of £5m ($7.6m).[36] In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey (Spain's annual national cup competition), beating Real Madrid, and the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic Bilbao. On 26 June 1983, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid on the road in the world's biggest club game, El Clásico, a match where Maradona scored and became the first Barcelona player to be applauded by arch rival Real Madrid fans.[37] Maradona dribbled past Madrid goalkeeper Agustín, and as he approached the empty goal he stopped just as Madrid defender Juan José came sliding in a desperate attempt to block the shot and ended up crashing into the post, before Maradona slotted the ball into the net.[38] The manner of the goal led to many inside the stadium start applauding: only Ronaldinho (in November 2005), and Andrés Iniesta (in November 2015), have since been granted such an ovation as Barcelona players from Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu.[37][39] Due to illness and injury as well as controversial incidents on the field, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona.[40] First a bout of hepatitis, then a broken ankle in a La Liga game at the Camp Nou in September 1983 caused by an ill-timed tackle by Athletic Bilbao's Andoni Goikoetxea threatened to jeopardize Maradona's career, but after treatment and therapy it was possible for him to be back on the pitch after a recovery period of three months.[25]

Athletic Bilbao defender Andoni Goikoetxea, dubbed "The butcher from Bilbao", was involved in two controversial incidents with Maradona.

The end of the 1983–84 season included a violent and chaotic fight Maradona was directly involved in at the 1984 Copa del Rey final at the Santiago Bernabéu against Athletic Bilbao.[41] After receiving another rough tackle by Goikoetxea which wounded his leg, being taunted with xenophobic insults throughout the match by Bilbao fans, and being provoked by Bilbao's Miguel Sola at full time as Barcelona lost 1–0, Maradona snapped.[41] He aggressively got up, stood inches from Sola's face and the two exchanged words. This started a chain reaction of emotional reactions from both teams. Using expletives, Sola mimicked a gesture from the crowd towards Maradona by using a xenophobic term.[42] Maradona then headbutted Sola, elbowed another Bilbao player in the face, and kneed another player in the head, knocking him out cold.[41] The Bilbao squad surrounded Maradona to exact some retribution with Goikoetxea connecting with a high kick to his chest, before the rest of the Barcelona squad joined in to help Maradona; and from this point on the Barcelona and Bilbao players brawled on the field with Maradona in the center of the action, kicking and punching anyone in a Bilbao shirt.[41]

The mass brawl was played out in front of the Spanish King Juan Carlos and an audience of 100,000 fans inside the stadium, and more than half of Spain watching on television.[43] Sixty people were injured; and this incident effectively sealed Maradona's transfer out of the club in what was his last game in a Barcelona shirt.[42] One Barcelona executive stated: "When I saw those scenes of Maradona fighting and the chaos that followed I realized we couldn't go any further with him."[43] Maradona got into frequent disputes with Barcelona FC executives, especially club president Josep Lluís Núñez, culminating with a demand to be transferred out of Camp Nou in 1984. During his two injury-hit seasons at Barcelona, Maradona scored 38 goals in 58 games.[44] Maradona transferred to Napoli in Italy's Serie A for another world record fee, £6.9m ($10.48m).[12]

Napoli

Diego Maradona with Napoli in 1985. Throughout his career he would wear number 10 for both club and country.

Maradona arrived in Naples and was presented to the world media as a Napoli player on 5 July 1984, where he was welcomed by 75,000 fans at his presentation at the Stadio San Paolo.[45] Sports writer David Goldblatt commented; "They [the fans] were convinced that the saviour had arrived."[46] A local newspaper stated that despite the lack of a "mayor, houses, schools, buses, employment and sanitation, none of this matters because we have Maradona."[46] Prior to Maradona's arrival, Italian football was dominated by teams from the north and centre of the country, such as A.C. Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and A.S. Roma, and no team in the south of the Italian Peninsula had ever won a league title.[46][47]

At Napoli, Maradona reached the peak of his professional career: he soon inherited the captain's armband from Napoli veteran defender Giuseppe Bruscolotti,[48] and quickly became an adored star among the club's fans; in his time there he elevated the team to the most successful era in its history.[46] Maradona played for Napoli at a period when North-South tensions in Italy were at a peak due to a variety of issues, notably the economic differences between the two.[46] Led by Maradona, Napoli won their first ever Serie A Italian Championship in 1986–87.[46] Goldblatt wrote; "The celebrations were tumultuous. A rolling series of impromptu street parties and festivities broke out contagiously across the city in a round-the-clock carnival which ran for over a week. The world was turned upside down. The Neapolitans held mock funerals for Juventus and Milan, burning their coffins, their death notices announcing 'May 1987, the other Italy has been defeated. A new empire is born.'"[46] Murals of Maradona were painted on the city's ancient buildings, and newborn children were named in his honor.[46] The following season, the team's prolific attacking trio, formed by Maradona, Bruno Giordano, and Careca, was later dubbed the "Ma-Gi-Ca" (magic) front-line.[49]

Maradona and Michel Platini during a 1986–87 Serie A season match between Napoli and Juventus

Napoli would win their second league title in 1989–90, and finish runners up in the league twice, in 1987–88 and 1988–89.[46] Other honors during the Maradona era at Napoli included the Coppa Italia in 1987, (second place in the Coppa Italia in 1989), the UEFA Cup in 1989 and the Italian Supercup in 1990.[46] Despite primarily playing in a creative role, as an attacking midfielder, Maradona was the top scorer in Serie A in 1987–88, with 15 goals, and is the all-time leading goalscorer for Napoli with 115 goals.[34][50] When asked who was the toughest player he ever faced, A.C. Milan legend Franco Baresi stated: "Maradona; when he was on form, there was almost no way of stopping him", a view shared by his Milan teammate and fellow all-time great Paolo Maldini, who stated: "The best ever I played against was Maradona."[51][52]

While Maradona was successful on the field, during his time in Italy his personal problems increased. His cocaine use continued, and he received US $70,000 in fines from his club for missing games and practices, ostensibly because of 'stress'.[53] He faced a scandal there regarding an illegitimate son; and he was also the object of some suspicion over an alleged friendship with the Camorra.[54][55][56][57] Later on, in honor of Maradona and his achievements during his career at Napoli, the No. 10 jersey of Napoli was officially retired.[58]

Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys and Boca Juniors

After serving a 15-month ban for failing a drug test for cocaine, Maradona left Napoli in disgrace in 1992. Despite interest from Real Madrid of Spain and Olympique Marseille of France, he signed for Sevilla of Spain, where he stayed for one year.[59] In 1993 he played for Newell's Old Boys and in 1995 he returned to Boca Juniors for two years.[25] Maradona also appeared for Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly match against Inter Milan, shortly before the 1986 World Cup. The match was a testimonial for Osvaldo Ardiles, who insisted that his friend Maradona play.[60]

International career

During his time with the Argentine national team, Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 appearances. He made his full international debut at age 16, against Hungary on 27 February 1977. Maradona was left off the Argentine squad for the 1978 World Cup on home soil by coach Cesar Luis Menotti who felt the 17-year-old was still too young.[61] At age 18, he played the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship in Japan, and was the star of the tournament, shining in Argentina's 3–1 final win over the Soviet Union. On 2 June 1979, Maradona scored his first senior international goal in a 3–1 win against Scotland at Hampden Park.[62]

Maradona and his compatriot and heir apparent, Lionel Messi, are the only players to win the Golden Ball at both the FIFA U-20 World Cup and FIFA World Cup. Maradona did so in 1979 and 1986, which Messi emulated in 2005 and 2014.[63]

1982 World Cup

Maradona played his first World Cup tournament in 1982 in his new country of residence, Spain. Argentina played Belgium in the opening game of the 1982 Cup at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. The Catalan crowd was eager to see their new world-record signing Maradona in action, but he did not perform to expectations.[64] Argentina, the defending champions, lost to Belgium 1–0. Although the team convincingly beat both Hungary and El Salvador in Alicante to progress to the second round, there were internal tensions within the team, with the younger, less experienced players at odds with the older, more experienced players. In a team that also included such players as Mario Kempes, Osvaldo Ardiles, Ramón Díaz, Daniel Bertoni, Alberto Tarantini, Ubaldo Fillol and Daniel Passarella, the Argentine side was defeated in the second round by Brazil and by eventual winners Italy. The Italian match is renowned for Maradona being aggressively man-marked by Claudio Gentile, as Italy beat Argentina at the Sarria Stadium in Barcelona 2-1.[65]

Maradona played in all five matches without being substituted, scoring twice against Hungary. He was fouled repeatedly in all five games and particularly in the last one against Brazil at the Sarria; a game that was blighted by poor officiating and violent fouls. With Argentina already down 3-0 to Brazil, Maradona's temper eventually got the better of him and he was sent off with 5 minutes remaining for a serious retaliatory foul against João Batista da Silva.[66]

1986 World Cup

Diego Maradona holding the 1986 World Cup trophy

Maradona captained the Argentine national team to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, winning the final in the capital of Mexico City against West Germany.[67] Throughout the 1986 World Cup Maradona asserted his dominance and was the most dynamic player of the tournament. He played every minute of every Argentina game, scored 5 goals and made 5 assists, three of those in the opening match against South Korea at the Olimpico Stadium in Mexico City. His first goal of the tournament came against Italy in the second group game in Puebla.[68] Argentina eliminated Uruguay in the first knockout round in Puebla, and this meant that they were to play England at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. After scoring two contrasting goals in the 2–1 quarter-final win against England his legend was cemented. The majesty of his second goal and the notoriety of his first led to the French newspaper L'Equipe describing Maradona as "half-angel, half-devil".[69] This match was played with the background of the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Replays showed that the first goal was scored by striking the ball with his hand. Maradona was coyly evasive, describing it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God."[67] It became known as the "Hand of God". Ultimately, on 22 August 2005 Maradona acknowledged on his television show that he had hit the ball with his hand purposely, and no contact with his head was made, and that he immediately knew the goal was illegitimate. This became known as an international fiasco in World Cup history. The goal stood, much to the wrath of the English players.[70]

"Maradona, turns like a little eel and comes away from trouble, little squat man... comes inside Butcher and leaves him for dead, outside Fenwick and leaves him for dead, and puts the ball away... and that is why Maradona is the greatest player in the world."

—Bryon Butler BBC Radio commentary on Maradona's second goal.[71]

Maradona's second goal, just four minutes after the hotly disputed hand-goal, was later voted by FIFA as the greatest goal in the history of the World Cup. He received the ball in his own half, swivelled around, and with 11 touches ran more than half the length of the field, dribbling past five English outfield players (Peter Beardsley, Steve Hodge, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher, and Terry Fenwick) before he left goalkeeper Peter Shilton on his backside with a feint, and slotted the ball into the net.[72] This goal was voted "Goal of the Century" in a 2002 online poll conducted by FIFA.[14]

Maradona scoring the "Goal of the Century" against England in México 1986

Maradona followed this with two more goals in a semi-final match against Belgium at the Azteca, including another virtuoso dribbling display for the second goal. In the final match, West Germany attempted to contain him by double-marking, but he nevertheless found the space past the West German player Lothar Matthäus to give the final pass to Jorge Burruchaga for the winning goal. Argentina beat West Germany 3–2 in front of 115,000 fans at the Azteca.[69][73]

During the course of the tournament, Maradona attempted or created more than half of Argentina's shots, embarked on 90 dribbles some three times more than any other player and was fouled 53 times winning his team twice as many free kicks as any player.[74][75] Maradona scored or assisted 10 of Argentina's 14 goals including the assist for the winning goal in the final, ensuring that he would be remembered as one of the greatest names in football history.[75] By the end of the World Cup, Maradona went on to win the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament by unanimous vote and was widely regarded to have won the World Cup virtually single-handedly, something that he didn't entirely agree with.[75][76][77][78] In a tribute to him, Azteca Stadium authorities built a statue of him scoring the "Goal of the Century" and placed it at the entrance of the stadium.[79]

1990 World Cup

Maradona captained Argentina again in the 1990 World Cup in Italy to yet another World Cup Final. An ankle injury affected his overall performance, and he was much less dominant than four years earlier. After losing their opening game to the Cameroon at the San Siro in Milan, Argentina were almost eliminated in the first round, only qualifying in third position from their group. In the round of 16 match against Brazil in Turin, Claudio Caniggia scored the only goal after being set up by Maradona.[80]

In the quarter final, Argentina faced Yugoslavia in Florence, the match ending 0–0 after 120 minutes, and Argentina advancing on penalty kicks, despite Maradona missing one of the penalties in the shootout with a weak shot to the goalkeeper's right. The semifinal against the host nation Italy at Maradona's club stadium in Naples was also resolved on penalties after a 1–1 draw; this time, Maradona was successful with his effort, daringly rolling the ball into the net with an almost exact replica of his missed shot in the previous round. At the final in Rome, Argentina lost 1–0 to West Germany, the only goal being a penalty by Andreas Brehme in the 85th minute after a controversial foul on Rudi Völler.[80]

1994 World Cup

At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Maradona played in only two games (both at the Foxboro Stadium near Boston), scoring one goal against Greece, before being sent home after failing a drug test for ephedrine doping. In his autobiography, Maradona argued that the test result was due to his personal trainer giving him the power drink Rip Fuel. His claim was that the U.S. version, unlike the Argentine one, contained the chemical and that, having run out of his Argentine dosage, his trainer unwittingly bought the U.S. formula. FIFA expelled him from USA '94 and Argentina were subsequently eliminated in the second round by Romania in Los Angeles. Maradona has also separately claimed that he had an agreement with FIFA, on which the organization reneged, to allow him to use the drug for weight loss before the competition in order to be able to play.[81] His failed drugs test at the 1994 World Cup signaled the end of his international career, which had lasted 17 years and yielded 34 goals from 91 games.[82]

Playing style

See also: Creole football

"Diego was capable of things no one else could match. The things I could do with a football, he could do with an orange."

—Michel Platini, former French midfielder and current UEFA President.[83]

"Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona. Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been."

—Lionel Messi, current Argentina captain.[84]

"When Diego scored that second goal against us, I felt like applauding. I'd never felt like that before, but it's true... and not just because it was such an important game. It was impossible to score such a beautiful goal. He's the greatest player of all time, by a long way. A genuine phenomenon."

—Gary Lineker, England's 1986 World Cup striker on Maradona's Goal of the Century.[83]

A classic number 10, Maradona was renowned for his dribbling ability, vision, close ball control, passing and creativity, and is considered one of the most skillful players ever.[78][85][86] He had a compact physique, and with his strong legs and low center of gravity he could withstand physical pressure well while running with the ball.[87] Dutch legend Johan Cruyff saw similarities between Maradona and Lionel Messi with the ball seemingly attached to their body when dribbling.[88] His physical strengths were illustrated by his two goals against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup. He was a strategist and a team player, as well as highly technical with the ball. He could manage himself effectively in limited spaces, and would attract defenders only to quickly dash out of the melee (as in the second 1986-goal against England),[89] or give an assist to a free teammate. Being short, but strong, he could hold the ball long enough with a defender on his back to wait for a teammate making a run or to find a gap for a quick shot. He showed leadership qualities on the field and captained Argentina in their World Cup campaigns of 1986, 1990 and 1994.[90][91][92]

One of Maradona's trademark moves was dribbling full-speed on the right wing, and on reaching the opponent's goal line, delivering accurate passes to his teammates. Another trademark was the Rabona, a reverse-cross pass shot behind the leg that holds all the weight.[93] This maneuver led to several assists, such as the powerful cross for Ramón Díaz's header in the 1980 friendly against Switzerland.[94] He was also a dangerous free kick and penalty kick taker.[95][96]

Maradona was famous for his cunning personality.[97] Inherent within his nickname "El Pibe de Oro" ("Golden Boy") is a sense of mischief, with "pibe" being an anti-establishment rogue, street smart and full of guile.[13] Some critics view his controversial "Hand of God" goal at the 1986 World Cup as a clever maneuver, with one of the opposition players, Glenn Hoddle, admitting that Maradona had disguised it cunningly in flicking his head at the same time as palming the ball.[98] The goal itself has been viewed as an embodiment of the Buenos Aires shanty town Maradona was brought up in and its concept of viveza criolla — native cunning.[99] Maradona used his hand in the 1990 World Cup, again without punishment, and this time on his own goal line, to prevent the USSR from scoring.[100] A number of publications have referred to Maradona as the Artful Dodger, the urchin pickpocket expert from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist.[101][102][103][104]

Maradona was dominantly left-footed, often using his left foot even when the ball was positioned more suitably for a right-footed connection.[105] His first goal against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup semi-final is a worthy indicator of such; he had run into the inside right channel to receive a pass but let the ball travel across to his left foot, requiring more technical ability. During his run past several England players in the previous round for the "Goal of the Century" he did not use his right foot once, despite spending the whole movement on the right-hand side of the pitch. In the 1990 World Cup second round tie against Brazil, he did use his right foot to set up the winning goal for Caniggia due to two Brazilian markers forcing him into a position that made use of his left foot less practical.[106]

Retirement and honours

Diego Maradona's blaugrana shirt at display in FC Barcelona Museum

Hounded for years by the press, Maradona once fired a compressed-air rifle at reporters who he claimed were invading his privacy. This quote from former teammate Jorge Valdano summarizes the feelings of many:

He is someone many people want to emulate, a controversial figure, loved, hated, who stirs great upheaval, especially in Argentina... Stressing his personal life is a mistake. Maradona has no peers inside the pitch, but he has turned his life into a show, and is now living a personal ordeal that should not be imitated.[107]

In 1990 Konex Foundation from Argentina granted him the Diamond Konex Award, one of the most prestigious culture awards in Argentina, as the most important personality in Sports in the last decade in his country. In 2000, Maradona published his autobiography Yo Soy El Diego ("I am The Diego"), which became a bestseller in his home country.[108] Two years later, Maradona donated the Cuban royalties of his book to "the Cuban people and Fidel."[109]

Maradona at the Soccer Aid charity game at Old Trafford in May 2006, after losing weight

In 2000, he won FIFA Player of the Century award which was to be decided by votes on their official website, their official magazine and a grand jury. Maradona won the Internet-based poll, garnering 53.6% of the votes against 18.53% for Pelé.[110] In spite of this, and shortly before the ceremony, FIFA added a second award and appointed a "Football Family" committee composed of football journalists that also gave to Pelé the title of best player of the century to make it a draw. Maradona also came fifth in the vote of the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics).[111] In 2001, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) asked FIFA for authorization to retire the jersey number 10 for Maradona. FIFA did not grant the request, even though Argentine officials have maintained that FIFA hinted that it would.[112]

Maradona has topped a number of fan polls, including a 2002 FIFA poll in which his second goal against England was chosen as the best goal ever scored in a World Cup; he also won the most votes in a poll to determine the All-Time Ultimate World Cup Team. On 22 March 2010, Maradona was chosen number 1 in The Greatest 10 World Cup players of all time by the London-based newspaper The Times.[113] Argentinos Juniors named its stadium after Maradona on 26 December 2003. In 2003, Maradona was employed by the Libyan footballer Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the third son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, as a "technical consultant", while Al-Saadi was playing for the Italian club, Perugia Calcio, which was in Serie A at the time.[114]

Maradona in Kolkata, India in December 2008. Maradona laid the foundation stone for a football academy in the eastern suburbs of the city, and was greeted by over 100,000 fans in Salt Lake Stadium.[115]

On 22 June 2005, it was announced that Maradona would return to Boca Juniors as a sports vice president in charge of managing the First Division roster (after a disappointing 2004–05 season, which coincided with Boca's centenary).[116] His contract began 1 August 2005, and one of his first recommendations proved to be very effective: advising the club to hire Alfio Basile as the new coach. With Maradona fostering a close relationship with the players, Boca won the 2005 Apertura, the 2006 Clausura, the 2005 Copa Sudamericana and the 2005 Recopa Sudamericana.

On 15 August 2005, Maradona made his debut as host of a talk-variety show on Argentine television, La Noche del 10 ("The Night of the no. 10"). His main guest on opening night was Pelé; the two had a friendly chat, showing no signs of past differences. However, the show also included a cartoon villain with a clear physical resemblance to Pelé. In subsequent evenings, he led the ratings on all occasions but one. Most guests were drawn from the worlds of football and show business, including Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, but also included interviews with other notable friends and personalities such as Cuban leader Fidel Castro and boxers Roberto Durán and Mike Tyson.[117] Maradona gave each of his guests a signed Argentina jersey, which Tyson wore when he arrived in Brazil, Argentina's deadliest rivals.[118]

In May 2006, Maradona agreed to take part in UK's Soccer Aid (a program to raise money for Unicef).[119] In September 2006, Maradona, in his famous blue and white number 10, was the captain for Argentina in a three-day World Cup of Indoor Football tournament in Spain. On 26 August 2006, it was announced that Maradona was quitting his position in the club Boca Juniors because of disagreements with the AFA, who selected Basile to be the new coach of the Argentina national football team.[120] In 2008, award-winning Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica made a documentary about Maradona's life, entitled Maradona.[121]

On 1 September 2014, Maradona, along with many current and former footballing stars, took part in the "Match for Peace", which was played at the Stadio Olimpico, in Rome, with the proceeds being donated entirely to charity.[122] Maradona set up a goal for Roberto Baggio during the first half of the match, with a chipped through-ball over the defence with the outside of his left foot.[123] Unusually, both Baggio and Maradona wore the number 10 shirt, despite playing on the same team.[123] On 17 August 2015, Maradona visited Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee of the Argentina vs England quarter-final match at the 1986 World Cup where Maradona scored his Hand of God, and paid tribute to him by giving him a signed Argentine jersey.[124][125]

Managerial career

Club management

Maradona in Al Karama, United Arab Emirates in 2011 after being appointed manager of Dubai club Al Wasl FC

He attempted to work as a coach alongside former Argentinos Juniors midfield team mate Carlos Fren. The pair led Mandiyú of Corrientes (1994) and Racing Club (1995), but with little success. In May 2011 he became manager of Dubai club Al Wasl FC in the United Arab Emirates. Maradona was sacked on 10 July 2012.[126][127]

International management

After the resignation of Argentina national football team coach Alfio Basile in 2008, Diego Maradona immediately proposed his candidacy for the vacant role. According to several press sources, his major challengers included Diego Simeone, Carlos Bianchi, Miguel Ángel Russo and Sergio Batista. On 29 October 2008, AFA chairman Julio Grondona confirmed that Maradona would be the head coach of the national team from December 2008. On 19 November 2008, Diego Maradona managed Argentina for the first time when Argentina played against Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow which Argentina won 1–0.[128]

Maradona as coach of Argentina in 2009

After winning his first three matches in charge of the national team, he oversaw a 6–1 defeat to Bolivia, equalling the team's worst ever margin of defeat. With two matches remaining in the qualification tournament for the 2010 World Cup, Argentina was in fifth place and faced the possibility of failing to qualify, but victory in the last two matches secured qualification for the finals.[129][130] After Argentina's qualification, Maradona used abusive language at the live post-game press conference, telling members of the media to "suck it and keep on sucking it".[131] FIFA responded with a two-month ban on all footballing activity, which expired on 15 January 2010, and a CHF 25,000 fine, with a warning as to his future conduct.[132] The friendly match scheduled to take place at home to the Czech Republic on 15 December, during the period of the ban, was cancelled. The only match Argentina played during Maradona's ban was a friendly away to Catalonia, which Argentina lost 4–2.

At the World Cup finals in June 2010, Argentina started by winning 1–0 against Nigeria, and then defeated South Korea by 4–1, with a hat-trick from Gonzalo Higuain.[133][134] In the final match of the group stage Argentina won 2–0 against Greece to win their the group and advance to a second round meeting with Mexico.[135] After defeating Mexico 3–1, Argentina was in turn routed by Germany, 4–0 in the quarter finals to go out of the competition.[136] Argentina was ranked 5th in the tournament. After the defeat to Germany Maradona admitted that he was considering his future as Argentina coach, "I may leave tomorrow," he said.[137] On 15 July 2010, the Argentine Football Association said that he would be offered a new 4-year deal that would keep him in charge through to the summer of 2014 when Brazil stages the World Cup,[138] however on 27 July the AFA announced that its board had unanimously decided not to renew his contract.[139] Afterwards on 29 July 2010, Maradona claimed that AFA president Julio Grondona and director of national teams (and his former Argentine national team and FC Sevilla coach) Carlos Bilardo had "lied to" and "betrayed" and effectively sacked him from the role. Saying "they wanted me to continue, but seven of my staff should not go on, if he told me that, it meant he did not want me to keep working".[140]

Personal life

Family

Having returned to his Catholic faith, Maradona donated a signed Argentina jersey to Pope Francis, which is located in one of the Vatican Museums.

Born to a Roman Catholic family, his parents are Diego Maradona Senior and Dalma Salvadora Franco. His father is of Italian and Native Amerindian origin[18][20][141] and his mother is of Spanish and Croatian origin.[19] Maradona married long-time fiancée Claudia Villafañe on 7 November 1984 in Buenos Aires, and they had two daughters, Dalma Nerea (born 2 April 1987) and Giannina Dinorah (born 16 May 1989), by whom he became a grandfather in 2009.[142] In his autobiography, Maradona admits he was not always faithful to Claudia, even though he refers to her as the love of his life.

Maradona and Villafañe divorced in 2004. Daughter Dalma has since asserted that the divorce was the best solution for all, as her parents remained on friendly terms. They travelled together to Napoli for a series of homages in June 2005[143] and were seen together on other occasions, including the Argentina games during 2006 World Cup.

During the divorce proceedings, Maradona admitted he is the father of Diego Sinagra (born in Naples on 20 September 1986). The Italian courts had already ruled so in 1993, after Maradona refused to undergo DNA tests for proving or disproving his paternity. Diego Junior met Maradona for the first time in May 2003 after tricking his way onto a golf course in Italy where Maradona was playing.[144] Sinagra is now a footballer playing in Italy.[145] After the divorce, Claudia embarked on a career as a theatre producer, and Dalma was seeking an acting career; she had expressed her desire to attend the Actor's Studio in Los Angeles.[146][147]

His younger daughter, Giannina, married Manchester City striker Sergio Agüero, with whom she has a son, Benjamin, born in Madrid on 19 February 2009. In January 2013, Agüero and Giannina separated.[148] His mother, Dalma, died on 19 November 2011. Diego was in Dubai at the time, and desperately tried to fly back in time to see her, but was too late. She was 81 years old. His father, "Don" Diego, died on 25 June 2015; he was 87.[149] His son Diego Fernando, whom he had with his ex long term partner Veronica Ojeda, was born 13 February 2013.[150]

Drug abuse and health issues

From the mid-1980s until 2004 Diego Maradona was addicted to cocaine. He allegedly began using the drug in Barcelona in 1983.[151] By the time he was playing for Napoli he had a regular addiction, which began to interfere with his ability to play football.[152] Over the years following his retirement his health seriously deteriorated. On 4 January 2000, while vacationing in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Maradona had to be rushed to the emergency room of a local clinic. In a press conference, doctors stated that it was detected heart muscle damage due to "an underlying health issue". It was later known that traces of cocaine were found in his blood and Maradona had to explain the circumstances to the police. After this he left Argentina and went to Cuba in order to follow a drug rehab plan. On 18 April 2004, doctors reported that Maradona had suffered a major myocardial infarction following a cocaine overdose; he was admitted to intensive care in a Buenos Aires hospital. Scores of fans gathered around the clinic. He was taken off the respirator on 23 April and remained in intensive care for several days before being discharged on 29 April. He tried to return to Cuba, where he had spent most of his time in the years leading up to the heart attack, but his family opposed, having filed a judicial petition to exercise his legal guardianship.

Maradona had a tendency to put on weight, and suffered increasingly from obesity (at one point weighing 280 lb (127 kg)) from the end of his playing career until undergoing gastric bypass surgery in a clinic in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia on 6 March 2005. His surgeon said that Maradona would follow a liquid diet for three months in order to return his normal weight.[153] When Maradona resumed public appearances shortly thereafter, he displayed a notably thinner figure.[154] On 29 March 2007, Maradona was readmitted to a hospital in Buenos Aires. He was treated for hepatitis and effects of alcohol abuse, and was released on 11 April, but re-admitted two days later.[155] In the following days there were constant rumors about his health, including three false claims of his death within a month.[156] After transfer to a psychiatric clinic specialising in alcohol-related problems, he was discharged on 7 May.[157] On 8 May 2007, Maradona appeared on Argentine television and stated that he had quit drinking and had not used drugs in two and a half years.[158]

Political views

Maradona presents a signed shirt to the former President of Argentina Néstor Kirchner in December 2007.

Having previously been vocal in his support of neoliberal Argentine President Carlos Menem and his Harvard University-educated economist Domingo Cavallo, Maradona has shown sympathy to left-wing ideologies. He became friends with Cuban leader Fidel Castro while receiving treatment on the island with Castro stating: "Diego is a great friend and very noble, too. There’s also no question he’s a wonderful athlete and has maintained a friendship with Cuba to no material gain of his own.”[84] He has a portrait of Castro tattooed on his left leg and one of Fidel's second in command, fellow Argentine Che Guevara on his right arm.[159] In his autobiography, El Diego, he dedicated the book to various people, including Castro, he wrote "To Fidel Castro and, through him, all the Cuban people".[160]

Maradona and President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, at the funeral of former President of Argentina Néstor Kirchner, husband of former President Cristina Kirchner, 28 October 2010

Maradona was also a supporter of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. In 2005, he came to Venezuela to meet Chávez, who received him in the Miraflores. After this meeting, Maradona claimed that he had come with the aim of meeting a "great man" ("un grande" in Spanish) but he had met instead a gigantic man ("un gigante" in Spanish, meaning he was more than great). "I believe in Chávez, I am Chavista. Everything Fidel does, everything Chávez does, for me is the best."[161] Maradona was the guest of honor of Chávez at the opening game of the 2007 Copa América held in Venezuela.[162]

He has declared his opposition to what he identifies as imperialism, notably during the 2005 Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. There he protested George W. Bush's presence in Argentina, wearing a T-shirt labeled "STOP BUSH" (with the "s" in "Bush" being replaced with a swastika) and referring to Bush as "human garbage".[163][164] In August 2007, Maradona went further, making an appearance on Chávez's weekly television show Alo Presidente and saying: "I hate everything that comes from the United States. I hate it with all my strength."[165] In December 2008, Maradona expressed admiration for Bush's successor, President-elect Barack Obama, and held great expectations for him.[115]

"I asked myself, ‘Who is this man? Who is this footballing magician, this Sex Pistol of international football, this cocaine victim who kicked the habit, looked like Falstaff and was as weak as spaghetti?’ If Andy Warhol had still been alive, he would have definitely put Maradona alongside Marilyn Monroe and Mao Tse-Tung. I’m convinced that if he hadn’t been a footballer, he’d've become a revolutionary."

—Emir Kusturica, film director.[84]

With his poor shanty town upbringing, Maradona has cultivated a man of the people persona.[166] During a meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1987 they clashed on the issue of wealth disparity, with Maradona stating: "I argued with him because I was in the Vatican and I saw all these golden ceilings and afterwards I heard the Pope say the Church was worried about the welfare of poor kids. Sell your ceiling then amigo, do something!".[166] In September 2014 Maradona met with Pope Francis in Rome, crediting Francis for inspiring him to return to religion after many years, and stated: "We should all imitate Pope Francis. If each one of us gives something to someone else, no one in the world would be starving".[167]

In December 2007, Maradona presented a signed shirt with a message of support to the people of Iran: it is displayed in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' museum.[168] In April 2013, Maradona visited the tomb of Hugo Chávez and urged Venezuelans to elect the late leader's designated successor, Nicolás Maduro, to continue the socialist leader's legacy; "Continue the struggle," Maradona said on television.[169] Maradona attended Maduro's final campaign rally in Caracas, signing footballs and kicking them to the crowd, and presented Maduro with an Argentina jersey.[169] Having visited Chávez's tomb with Maradona, Maduro said; "Speaking with Diego was very emotional because comandante Chávez also loved him very much".[169]

In October 2015, Maradona thanked Queen Elizabeth II and the Houses of Parliament in London for giving him the chance to provide "true justice" as head of an organisation designed to help young children.[170] In a video released on his official Facebook page Maradona confirmed he would accept their nomination for him to become Latin American director for the non-governmental organisation Football for Unity.[170]

Financial problems

In March 2009 Italian officials announced that Maradona still owed the Italian government €37 million in taxes; €23.5 million of which was accrued interest on his original debt. They reported that thus far, Maradona has paid only €42,000, two luxury watches and a set of earrings.[171][172]

In popular culture

Religious display of Maradona in Naples, Italy

The American newspaper The Houston Chronicle wrote about Maradona:

To understand the gargantuan shadow Maradona casts over his football-mad homeland, one has to conjure up the athleticism of Michael Jordan, the power of Babe Ruth – and the human fallibility of Mike Tyson. Lump them together in a single barrel-chested man with shaggy black hair and you have El Diego, idol to the millions who call him D10S, a mashup of his playing number and the Spanish word for God.[173]

In Argentina, Maradona is considered a sports hero to many. He is idolized, receiving the name of "God". On the idolatry that exists in Argentina, former teammate Jorge Valdano said: "At the time that Maradona retired from active football, left traumatized Argentina. Maradona was more than just a great footballer. It was a special compensation factor for a country that in a few years lived several military dictatorships and social frustrations of all kinds".[174] Valdano added that "Maradona offered to the Argentines a way out of their collective frustration, and that's why people love him. There is a divine figure."[174]

Three icons of Argentina statues: tango pioneer Carlos Gardel, political leader Eva Perón, and Maradona

Ever since 1986, it is common for Argentines abroad to hear Maradona's name as a token of recognition, even in remote places.[40] The Tartan Army sing a version of the Hokey Cokey in honour of the Hand of God goal against England.[175] In Argentina, Maradona is often talked about in terms reserved for legends. In the Argentine film El Hijo de la Novia ("Son of the Bride"), somebody who impersonates a Catholic priest says to a bar patron: "they idolized him and then crucified him". When a friend scolds him for taking the prank too far, the fake priest retorts: "But I was talking about Maradona". He's the subject of the film El Camino de San Diego, though he himself only appears in archive footage.

Renaissance interpretation of Maradona's "Hand of God" goal in graffiti, Helsinki, Finland

Maradona was included in many cameos in the Argentine comic book El Cazador de Aventuras. After the closing of it, the authors started a new short-lived comic book titled "El Die", using Maradona as the main character. Maradona has had several online Flash games that are entirely dedicated to his legacy.[176] In Rosario, Argentina, locals organized the parody religion of the "Church of Maradona". The organization reformulates many elements from Christian tradition, such as Christmas or prayers, reflecting instead details from Maradona. It had 200 founding members, and tens of thousands more have become members via the church's official web site.[177]

"Everyone has an opinion on Diego Armando Maradona, and that’s been the case since his playing days. His magnificent performances and extraordinary goals at Mexico 86 will live forever in the memories of all football lovers, myself included. My most vivid recollection is of this incredibly gifted kid at the second FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan in 1979. He left everyone open-mouthed every time he got on the ball. And at the age of 50 he still has many years in which to keep showing us his talent."

—FIFA President Sepp Blatter.[84]

Many Argentine artists performed songs in tribute to Diego, like: "Maradó" by El Potro Rodrigo, "Maradona" by Andrés Calamaro, "Para siempre Diego" (Diego forever) by Los Ratones Paranoicos, "Para verte gambetear" (For seeing you dribble) by La Guardia Hereje, "Francotirador" (Sniper) by Attaque 77, "Dale Diez" (C'mon Diez) by Julio Lacarra, "Maradona blues" by Charly García, "Santa Maradona" (Saint Maradona) by Mano Negra, "La Vida Tombola" by Manu Chao, "¿Qué es Dios?" (What is God?) by Las Pastillas del Abuelo, "Pelusa" (Fluff) by Los Cafres, among others. There are also films, such as: Maradona, La Mano de Dios (Maradona, the Hand of God), El Camino de San Diego (Saint Diego's Road), Amando a Maradona (Loving Maradona), Maradona by Kusturica.[121]

By 1982 Maradona had become one of the biggest sports stars in the world and had endorsements with many companies, including Puma and Coca-Cola, earning him $1.5 million per year in endorsements.[178] In 1982 he featured in a World Cup commercial for Coca-Cola, and a Japanese commercial for Puma.[178] In 2010, Maradona appeared in a commercial for the French fashion house Louis Vuitton, indulging in a game of table football with fellow legends Pelé and Zinedine Zidane.[179] Maradona features in the music video to the 2010 World Cup song "Waka Waka" by Shakira, with footage shown of him celebrating Argentina winning the 1986 World Cup.[180]

A 2006 television commercial for Brazilian soft drink Guaraná Antarctica portrayed Maradona as a member of the Brazilian national football team, including wearing the yellow jersey and singing the Brazilian national anthem with Brazilian caps Kaká and Ronaldo.[181] Later on in the commercial he wakes up realizing it was a nightmare after having drunk too much of the drink. This generated some controversy in the Argentine media after its release (although the commercial was not supposed to air on the Argentine market, fans could see it online). Maradona replied that he has no problem in wearing the Brazilian national squad jersey despite Argentina and Brazil having a tense rivalry in football, but that he would refuse to wear the shirt of River Plate, Boca Juniors' traditional rival.[182] There is a documented phenomenon of Brazilians being named in honour of Maradona,[183] an example being footballer Diego Costa.[184]

Career statistics

Source: Club Statistics, at expertfootball.com[185]

Club

Season Club League League Cup Continental Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1976Argentinos JuniorsPrimera División 0+110+200––132
1977 37+1213+600––4919
1978 31+422+400––3526
1979 14+1214+1200––2626
1980 32+1325+1800––4543
Total Argentinos Juniors 166116–––166116
1981Boca JuniorsPrimera División 28+1217+1100––4028
1982–83BarcelonaLa Liga 20115345643523
1983–84 16114133–2315
Total Barcelona 36229478645838
1984–85NapoliSerie A 301463––3617
1985–86 291122––3113
1986–87 291010720–4117
1987–88 28159620–3921
1988–89 269127123–5019
1989–90 28163250–3618
1990–91 1863242102610
Total Napoli 18881452925510259115
1992–93 SevillaLa Liga 26533––298
1993–94Newell's Old BoysPrimera División 50–––50
1995–96Boca Juniors 11+133+2–––245
1996–97 0+10––1020
1997–98 52–––52
Total Boca Juniors 7035––107135
Total Argentina 191151000010242151
Spain 622712778648746
Italy 18881452925510259115
Career total 4912595736321384588312

International

Argentina national team
Year Apps Goals
1977 30
1978 10
1979 83
1980 107
1981 21
1982 102
1983 --
1984 --
1985 106
1986 107
1987 64
1988 31
1989 70
1990 101
1991 --
1992 --
1993 40
1994 72
Total9134

Manager

Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Mandiyú de Corrientes Argentina January 1994 June 1994 121568.33
Racing Club Argentina May 1995 November 1995 1123618.18
Argentina Argentina November 2008 July 2010 19140573.68
Al Wasl FC United Arab Emirates May 2011 July 2012 22751031.82

Honours

Player

Club

Argentina Boca Juniors

Spain Barcelona

Italy Napoli

Country

Argentina Argentina

Individual

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ According to FC Barcelona's official website, his surname is the single "Maradona", in accordance with Argentine customs.[1]

References

  1. ↑ "Profile: Diego Armando Maradona". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  2. ↑ Maradona tricks and skills videos of the best soccer, football players ever. Football-tricks.com. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Diego Maradona dominated 1986 World Cup after position switch – Jonathan Wilson – SI.com. Sportsillustrated.cnn.com (27 May 2010). Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Diego Maradona: ‘The Soccer Guru’. The Viewspaper (25 June 2010). Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  5. ↑ Diego Maradona – Profile of Soccer Player Diego Maradona. Worldsoccer.about.com. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "The Best of The Best". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.com (19 June 2009). Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  7. ↑ – "The 100 greatest players of all time" The Football Pantheon, 20 September 2011
  8. ↑ – "Castrol Debate: Pele Versus Maradona". goal.com, 23 October 2010
  9. ↑ Other opinions about Maradona as the greatest player can be found at:
    - "Camacho: Maradona was, is and always will be the best in the world". marca.com, 12 March 2014.
    – "Ruud Gullit: Diego Maradona is the best ever in my opinion". goal.com, 29 July 2012.
    – "Lionel Messi: Diego Maradona is the greatest of all-time". SoccerAnchor, 7 September 2011.
    – "Rummenigge: Maradona better than Pele". The Times of India, 12 November 2008
    – "Paolo Maldini: Maradona best ever, Ronaldo close second" Paolo Maldini fan page, 21 July 2008.
    – "Gary Lineker: Diego has been the best player without a doubt, better than Pele". givemesport
    - "Hector Enrique: Messi will never surpass Maradona" goal.com, 3 March 2014.
    - "Wayne Rooney: Diego Maradona is the greatest player ever" SoccerBlog, 25 March 2006.
    – "Glenn Hoddle: Diego Maradona is the greatest player of all time". SoccerBible, 22 July 2010.
    – "Ryan Giggs: Maradona is the best of all time". tribalfootball, 11 October 2011.
    – "Rio Ferdinand: In my eyes Maradona is the best footballer ever". fifa.com, 7 November 2008.
    – "Mario Kempes: Maradona is absolutely the best". ESPN soccernet, 18 April 2005.
    - "Luca Caioli: Maradona greatest footballer". Times of India, 30 April 2014.
    – "Aguero: It is disrespectful to compare me to Maradona". Mirro Football, 20 November 2011.
    – "Frank McGarvey: Diego Maradona was world's best player". Daily Record, 30 October 2008.
    – "Gordon Smith: Maradona was the best player I ever saw play the game". Daily Record, 30 October 2008.
    – "Trevor Edwards: Maradona is best" Central Telegraph, 11 April 2012.
    – "Maradona’s still number one". The Sun, 29 April 2011.
    – "Considered by many as the greatest football player to have ever walked the face of the earth". FIFA.com
    – Sir Alf Ramsey: "Pele had nearly everything. Maradona has everything. He works harder, does more and is more skillful". Hindustan Times, 5 May 2004.
  10. ↑ FIFA Player of the Century. touri.com
  11. ↑ "Maradona or Pele?". CNN Sports Illustrated, 10 December 2000. Retrieved 13 March 2013
  12. 1 2 "Snapshot: Maradona is toast of the town after signing for Napoli". The Times. Retrieved 30 March 2013
  13. 1 2 "La nuova vita del Pibe de Oro Maradona ct dell'Argentina". la Repubblica. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  14. 1 2 "Diego Maradona goal voted the FIFA World Cup™ Goal of the Century". FIFA (30 May 2002). Retrieved 13 March 2013
  15. ↑ "Maradona celebrates first victory as Riestra 'spiritual coach'", The Buenos Aires Herald, 19 August 2013
  16. ↑ "Diego Maradona - I was there". FIFA.com. Retrieved 22 April 2014
  17. ↑ The greatest rags-to-riches stories ever James Dart, Paul Doyle and Jon Hill, 12 April 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2006.
  18. 1 2 3 Uki Goñi (23 October 2009). "Argentina's Maradona: A Soccer God Turned Mortal". Time. Retrieved 18 September 2013. he can claim both Italian and indigenous ancestry
  19. 1 2 "MARADONA HRVAT: Maradona je iz Praputnjaka, a ne s Korčule". (in Croatian). Hrsvijet. Retrieved 24 June 2014
  20. 1 2 Burns, Jimmy (2011). Maradona: The Hand of God. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 9781408827727. Retrieved 2 October 2013. Maradona a poor Argentine of Italian ancestry
  21. ↑ "Behind the Name: Meaning, Origin and History of the Surname Maradona". surnames.behindthename.com.
  22. ↑ The Hand of God. Retrieved 18 August 2006.
  23. ↑ "Maradona hails 'inspirational' Best". RTE Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2013
  24. ↑ "Football's Greatest - Rivelino". Pitch International LLP. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2014
  25. 1 2 3 A SUMMARY OF MARADONA's LIFE, vivadiego.com. Retrieved 18 August 2006.
  26. ↑ "Diego, el de Argentinos", Clarín, 11 April 2013
  27. ↑ "Los primeros gritos de D10S" on La Selección website
  28. ↑ "Aquella jugada que llevó a Maradona a Boca" by Daniel Arcucchi, Cancha Llena, 22 February 2011
  29. ↑ Yo Soy El Diego, autobiography of Diego A. Maradona - Editorial Planeta (2000) - ISBN 9871144628
  30. ↑ "Fun Trivia : Diego Maradona". Trivia. Retrieved 24 April 2014
  31. ↑ "25 años de romance", Clarín, 26 December 2009
  32. ↑ "Maradona por Maradona", 24 September 2000
  33. ↑ Argentina 1981 by Osvaldo José Gorgazzi on RSSSF.com
  34. 1 2 "The Albiceleste underdog who conquered the world". FIFA.com Retrieved 16 May 2014
  35. ↑ Jimmy Burns (2009). "Barca: A People's Passion". p. 251. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2009
  36. ↑ "Life and crimes of Diego Armando Maradona". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2015
  37. 1 2 "Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 3: Bernabeu forced to pay homage as Ronaldinho soars above the galacticos". The Independent. Retrieved 29 November 2013
  38. ↑ "30 years since Maradona stunned the Santiago Bernabéu". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 2 October 2014
  39. ↑ "Real Madrid Fans Applaud Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta In ‘El Clasico’". NESN. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  40. 1 2 "That's one hell of a diet, Diego". 8 January 2006. Guardian Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 13 August 2006.
  41. 1 2 3 4 "Diego Maradona gives hot, hot heat to The Butcher of Bilbao". The Guardian. 24 April 2015.
  42. 1 2 Luca Caioli (2013). "Messi: The Inside Story of the Boy Who Became a Legend"
  43. 1 2 Jimmy Burns. (2011). "Maradona: The Hand of God". pp.121-122. A&C Black
  44. ↑ "Backgrounder: Diego Maradona". CBC Sports. Retrieved 14 December 2012
  45. ↑ "Cristiano Ronaldo welcomed by 80,000 fans at Real Madrid unveiling". The Guardian (London). 6 July 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Maradona brings success to Napoli". ESPN. Retrieved 16 May 2014
  47. ↑ Clemente A. Lisi (2011). "A History of the World Cup: 1930-2010". p. 193. Scarecrow Press
  48. ↑ Nicola Sellitti (9 February 2016). "Bruscolotti, una vita in azzurro: "Napoli, ricorda quella partita dell'86"" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  49. ↑ Richardson, James (3 April 2007). "Serie A's comeback kid eyes another miracle". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  50. ↑ "Diego Maradona Has Appealed to European Union". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2014
  51. ↑ "Franco Baresi: One-on-One". Four Four Two. Retrieved 19 January 2015
  52. ↑ "Maradona and Ronaldo Best Ever". Goal.com. Retrieved 7 February 2015
  53. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE; Maradona Fined". The New York Times. 13 January 1991. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  54. ↑ May, John (19 April 2004). "Maradona's fall from grace". BBC News. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  55. ↑ "After the fall: The World Cup dream is over for Diego Maradona, but there may be worse to come – a little matter of pounds 500,000-worth of smuggled cocaine, and the Naples mafia. Paul Greengrass and Toby Follett report". The Independent (London). 5 July 1994. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  56. ↑ "Camorra, arrestato il boss amico di Maradona". Corriere della Sera. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  57. ↑ Telander, Rick (14 January 2002). "At his best, Diego Maradona can be as graceful as Michael Jordan. At his worst, he can be as disgraceful as John McEnroe. The question is, which Maradona will show for the World Cup?". CNN.
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