Diego Maradona

Lore & Background

Maradona was seen as an advanced playmaker who operated in the classic number 10 position. He was known for his vision, passing, ball control, and dribbling skill, and was known as a free kick specialist. His small stature gave him a low centre of gravity and allowed him to manoeuvre better than most other players. His presence and leadership on the field had a great effect on his team's performance, and he was given the nickname El Pibe de Oro ('The Golden Boy'). He was born on 30 October 1960 at the Policlínico Evita Hospital in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, to a poor Roman Catholic family. He was raised in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires. His father, also named Diego Maradona, worked at a chemicals factory. His mother, Dalma Salvadora Franco, was of Italian and Croatian descent. Maradona's parents grew up in Esquina in the north-east province of Corrientes, and moved to Buenos Aires in the 1950s. Maradona's two younger brothers, Hugo and Raúl, both became professional footballers. He also had four older sisters. Maradona received his first football as a gift at age three and quickly became devoted to the game. At age eight, he was spotted by a talent scout while he was playing at Estrella Roja, his local club. In March 1969, Maradona was recommended to Los Cebollitas (The Little Onions), the junior team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors club, by his friend Gregorio Carrizo, who had already been recruited by coach Francis Gregorio Cornejo. Cornejo later remarked that the eight-year-old Maradona played football like an adult. Maradona became a star for the Cebollitas, and as a 12-year-old ball boy he entertained spectators with his ball skills during the halftime breaks of Argentinos Juniors' first division games. During 1973 and 1974, Maradona led the Cebollitas to two Evita Tournament victories and 141 undefeated games in a row, playing alongside Adrian Domenech and Claudio Rodríguez on what is regarded as the best youth team in the history of Argentine football. Maradona named Brazilian playmaker Rivellino and Manchester United winger George Best among his inspirations growing up.

Reader's Guide

Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys during his club career. He led Napoli to their first Serie A league title, and their second three years later. He was the first player to set the world record transfer fee twice: in 1982 when he transferred to Barcelona for £5 million, and in 1984 when he moved to Napoli for £6.9 million. In his international career with Argentina, Maradona earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals. He played in four editions of the FIFA World Cup, including the 1986 World Cup, where he led Argentina to victory as captain 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. His first goal was an unpenalized handling foul known as the 'Hand of God', while his second goal came after a 60-metre (66 yd) dribble past five England players; it was voted 'Goal of the Century' by FIFA.com voters in 2002. Maradona became the manager of the Argentina national team in November 2008, and departed after the 2010 World Cup. He coached the United Arab Emirates (UAE) club Al Wasl during the 2011–12 season, and was the chairman of the Belarusian club Dynamo Brest for several months in 2018. He also coached the UAE club Fujairah (2017–2018), the Mexican club Dorados (2018–2019) and the Argentine club Gimnasia de La Plata (2019–2020). Maradona died on 25 November 2020.

Did You Know?

• Maradona made his professional debut for Argentinos Juniors on 20 October 1976, ten days before his 16th birthday, becoming the youngest player in the history of the Argentine Primera División.
• He scored his first two goals as a professional on 14 November 1976, two weeks after turning 16.
• Maradona completed a US$4-million transfer to Boca Juniors in February 1981 and helped them win the 1981 league title.
• In 1982, he transferred to Barcelona for a then-world record fee of £5 million, and during his two seasons there he scored 38 goals in 58 appearances.
• Maradona was presented as a Napoli player on 5 July 1984 in front of 75,000 spectators at the Stadio San Paolo.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"I dream of being able to score another goal against England... this time with the right hand." — Diego Maradona "Less than a month before he died, referencing the hand of God. Quoted in Hannigan, Mary. "Funny old games: The sporting year in a year like no other", The Irish Times. 30 December 2020.

See section titled "Diego"." — Diego Maradona "http://www.conexionbrando.com/1314892-toti-pasman-vs-maradona-a-un-ano-del-la-tenes-adentro-quien-tenia-razon." — Diego Maradona "I am with Maduro, I will continue with him and I will die with him." — Diego Maradona