Maradona

Introduction

In debates regarding the greatest football players of all time, the list typically consists of just two names: Diego Armando Maradona, also known as El Pibe de Oro, and Pelé, the legendary Brazilian footballer. Selecting one of them becomes quite impossible when comparing them only on the basis of their skills and achievements. That's why they were both awarded FIFA Player of the Century, after all. Of course, Lionel Messi is another golden boy from Argentina.

Diego Maradona, the renowned soccer player, was born on October 30, 1960. Anyone who likes football knows about Maradona. His leadership and passion-filled style of play are well-known among his millions of fans worldwide. Representing his country in the FIFA World Cup 1986, he is among the highest-paid football players in history. Apart from that, Maradona coached the Argentinian national soccer team and a number of clubs in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. He started coaching Argentina's Gimnasia de La Plata team in 2019 and remained there until his death from cardiac arrest on November 25, 2020, at his residence in Lanus, Argentina.

Early life of Maradona

Diego Armando Maradona was born in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province on October 30, 1960. Diego Armando Maradona was raised in Villa Fiorito, a slum located in the southern suburbs of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the first son after four daughters. Hugo and Raúl, his two younger brothers, were both professional football players. His mother, Dalma Salvadora Franco, "Doña Tota" (1930-2011), was of Italian and Croatian descent, and his father, Diego Maradona "Chitoro" (1927-2015), who worked at a chemical factory, was of Guaraní (Indigenous) and Galician (Spanish) descent.

They then settled in Buenos Aires after shifting from Esquina in the 1950s. When Maradona was three years old, he got his first football as a gift and developed an instant passion for it. A talent scout noticed him when he was eight years old, playing in his neighborhood club, Estrella Roja. His close friend and football competitor, Gregorio Carrizo, whom Coach Francis Gregorio Cornejo had already selected, suggested him to Los Cebollitas (The Little Onions), the juvenile team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors, in March 1969. During the halftime breaks of Argentinos Juniors' first division games, Maradona used to entertain the spectators with his ball skills as a 12-year-old ball boy before becoming a star for the Cebollitas. Playing with players such as Adrian Domenech and Claudio Rodríguez, Maradona led Cebollitas to two victories in the Evita Tournament and 141 consecutive wins in 1973 and 1974. This team is considered the best youth team in Argentine football history.

Club Career

Diego made his Argentinos Juniors professional debut against Talleres de Cordoba on October 20, 1976, only a few months before his 16th birthday. He made history as the youngest player in the Argentine Primera Division history by wearing the number 16 shirt.

Maradona nutmegged Juan Domingo Cabrera during his debut, a talent that later came to represent his extraordinary skills. Maradona expressed his immense joy in his autobiography, stating that he felt like he had held the sky in his hands. Years later, Cabrera remembered Maradona's debut and how he got nutmegged and ended up being left far behind.

From 1976 to 1981, Maradona played with Argentinos Juniors for five years, during which time he scored an amazing 115 goals in 167 games. A number of clubs made proposals to him, including River Plate, who wanted to pay him the biggest salary of any player. However, because of budgetary limitations, River Plate abandoned its bid.

Maradona officially joined Boca Juniors on February 20, 1981, after signing a contract. He made his club debut two days later, scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over Talleres de Cordoba club.

On April 10, he played in his debut Superclasico match at La Bombonera stadium against River Plate. River lost to Boca by 3-0, and Maradona hit a memorable goal after dribbling past defenders.

Maradona had a great season and won the league title-his sole domestic league victory in Argentina- despite having a contentious relationship with Silvio Marzolini, the manager of Boca Juniors.

Maradona broke all previous records when he signed a £5 million ($7.6 million) deal to join Barcelona in Spain after the 1982 World Cup. He had both success and turmoil in Barcelona.

The Birth of the Legendary Maradona

The local newspaper even declared that despite the city's challenges with necessities, having Maradona made everything else inconsequential.

Maradona joined a team that was about to be relegated, with the intention of challenging the dominance of clubs in northern and central Italy in the football league, so this was an important point in his career. Maradona reached the zenith of his career while he was a player for Napoli. The supporters loved him, he became the captain of the team and led Napoli to unheard-of success.

Maradona had an enormous influence during the period of intense north-south rivalry in Italy. When Napoli won their first Serie A championship in 1986-1987, the entire city celebrated. After the win, there were unplanned street parties and celebrations that lasted for more than a week, creating a carnival-like atmosphere.

According to Diego Maradona's autobiography, Maradona's fame skyrocketed and his image was painted on murals all around the city. Napoli went on to win the league title once more in the following seasons (1989-1990) and finished as runner-up twice. During Maradona's career, they also won the Italian Supercup, the Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Cup.

Maradona broke Marek Hamsik's record in 2017 by becoming Napoli's all-time top goalscorer with 115 goals, despite his main position as an attacking midfielder. He was well-regarded by his colleagues; great defenders like Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi described him as the hardest opponent they had ever faced.

But while Maradona's achievements on the field increased, his issues also got worse. His reputation was damaged by scandals involving his personal life, including allegations of having illegitimate children and links to the Camorra crime gang.

International Career

During his time playing for the Argentina national team, Maradona achieved remarkable feats. In 91 matches, he scored 34 goals overall.

He played his first game as a 16-year-old against Hungary on February 27, 1977. But coach Cesar Luis Menotti felt that at just seventeen years old, he was not yet ready; hence, he was not chosen for the Argentina 1978 World Cup due to his young age.

Maradona competed at the 1979 "FIFA World Youth Championship" in Japan, demonstrating his potential in spite of this setback. He emerged as the star of the tournament, he scored six goals total and helped Argentina defeat the Soviet Union 3-1 in the final match.

Only Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona have won the Golden Ball in both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA U-20 World Cup, according to Maradona's biography. Maradona accomplished this in 1979 and 1986, and Messi did the same in 2005 and 2014.

With his chosen nation, Spain, Maradona made his debut at the World Cup in 1982. Maradona participated in all five games without being replaced, despite internal conflicts within the defending champion Argentina team. Throughout the match, he showed off his extraordinary skills and scored 2 goals against Hungary.

Maradona's outburst during the game against Brazil resulted in his dismissal, and Argentina lost to Brazil and Italy in the second round. Maradona led the Argentina national team to victory in the Mexico-hosted 1986 World Cup.

Drug Problems Ended His Fantastic Career

He became the target of abuse and threats from local fans after Argentina's victory over Italy in the 1990 World Cup semifinals, which were played in the San Paolo stadium. Maradona served a 15-month suspension for failing a drug test, and he left Napoli under a shroud of disgrace in 1992.

Before retiring, he had short stints at Boca Juniors, Newell's Old Boys, and Sevilla. Throughout his career, he played testimonial games and friendly matches for different clubs, making a lasting impression everywhere he went.

The number 10 jersey was retired by Napoli in 2000 as a tribute to Diego Maradona, demonstrating the extent of Maradona's influence on the team. In remembrance of his enduring legacy, Napoli's home stadium was renamed the Stadio Diego Armando, Maradona, following his demise in November 2020.

Diego Maradona's Last Goal

The turning point of Maradona's life came in the 1994 World Cup in USA. He played only two matches, but he scored one goal against Greece. For the Argentina national team, this would be his final goal as he was sent home after testing positive for "ephedrine doping." Maradona stated in his autobiography that his trainer had unintentionally given him an energy drink that included a banned ingredient, which is why he tested positive. FIFA banned him from the tournament, and Romania beat Argentina in the round of 16.

According to Diego Maradona's biography, his 17-year international career-during which he scored 34 goals in 91 games-came to an end when he tested positive for drugs. In his whole football career, he won the World Cup once and finished as a runner-up once.

Apart from competitive international matches, Maradona took part in a number of charity matches and special fixtures, representing Argentina and scoring goals against opposing teams. His ability and contributions were demonstrated in these games outside of official international competitions.

Career in Management

Maradona and Carlos Fren, his former Argentinos Juniors teammate, started their management careers together. They served as coaches for brief periods at Racing Club in 1995 and Mandiyu of Corrientes in 1994, but neither club had much success during their tenure.

Maradona became manager of Al Wasl FC, a Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based team, in May 2011. His tenure at Al Wasl FC was brief, though, and on July 10, 2012, he was fired. He started working as a "spiritual coach" at the Argentine club Deportivo Riestra in August 2013. However, he quit the role in 2017 to become the head coach of Fujairah, a team in the second division of the United Arab Emirates. But he departed Fujairah at the end of the season because he was unable to get promoted.

When Maradona was named chairman of the Belarusian team Dynamo Brest in May 2018, the news grabbed attention. He was named manager of the Mexican second-division team Dorados in September 2018.

On September 17, he led Dorados to a 4-1 win against Cafetaleros de Tapachula, marking his managerial debut. However, when the team was unable to get promoted to the Mexican top division, Maradona's attorney declared on June 13, 2019, that he would resign from his position as manager of Dorados, claiming health reasons.

Maradona signed a contract to serve as Gimnasia de La Plata's head coach through the end of the 2019 season on September 5, 2019.

The Playing Style of Diego Maradona

Maradona was a well-liked and versatile player who was often referred to as a "classic number 10." He was a highly skilled player who could play many different positions, including second striker or attacking midfielder. He was also known for his superb dribbling, passing, vision, ball control, and creativity. Maradona was short in height, but his compact physique allowed him to fight through physical obstacles when he was racing with the ball. His quickness, skill, and capacity for direction changes made him a dangerous opponent for defenders.

Maradona's play style was compared to that of Lionel Messi because of their exceptional ball handling and natural connection to the ball. Although Maradona was most recognized for his solo runs, he also had technical skills and strategic awareness that helped him draw attention from opponents before dodging them or setting up teammates for easy goals.

He led Argentina in several World Cup campaigns while serving as captain, showcasing his leadership abilities. Maradona was a prolific goal scorer and demonstrated a strong work ethic in defense, in addition to his ability to set up plays. Maradona had unique signature moves that demonstrated his exceptional abilities.

His Special Techniques

When he reached the opponent's goal line, his right-wing full-speed dribbling was particularly impressive as he made accurate passes to his teammates. The "rabona" produced multiple assists since it's a special reverse-cross pass shot executed with the weight-bearing leg.

The "roulette," a 360° spin that involves bringing the ball back with both feet, was another signature move.

Maradona was well-known for his skill in curving the ball and scoring from set pieces. He was also a formidable free-kick and penalty-kick taker.

He was able to score even from close range by using a method that entailed elevating his knee at a high angle.

Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal during the 1986 World Cup, where he scored with his hand, was described in his biography as evidence of his crafty mentality.

Maradona was mostly acknowledged as one of the best players of all time, even in spite of the controversy. He was praised for his exceptional abilities and his outstanding goal-scoring record. Even though Maradona used his left foot to demonstrate his dominance most of the time, he would sometimes use his right foot when the circumstances called for it.

Personal Life of Diego Maradona

Born to Diego Maradona Senior and Dalma Salvadora Franco, Maradona grew up in a strict Catholic household. In November 1989, he married Claudia Villafane, and the couple was blessed with two daughters: Dalma Nerea and Gianinna Dinorah.

Gianinna married Sergio Aguero in 2009, making Maradona a grandfather.

Despite their regrettable 2004 divorce, Maradona and Villafane remained friendly and were frequently spotted together. Diego Sinagra was born in Naples in 1986, and Maradona acknowledged him as his son during their divorce.

In 2003, Sinagra first got to know his father. He is currently focusing on his football career. After the divorce, Dalma wanted to be an actor, and Claudia wanted to work in theater production.

Maradona had close relationships with his parents and brothers and maintained regular communication with them. He lost his father, "Don" Diego, in 2015 at the age of 87, and his mother, Dalma, tragically died in 2011.

Rocio Oliva was the girlfriend of Maradona in 2014. He strongly refuted any allegations of violence made against her. In 2017, he even gave her a mansion as a gift, but they broke up in 2018. Hernan Lopez, a professional football player, is the great-nephew of Maradona.

Drug Addiction

The main focus of Diego Maradona's life narrative from the mid-1980s to 2004 was his battle with a severe cocaine addiction that had its roots when he was a player for Barcelona. During his time at Napoli, the addiction worsened and had a big effect on his on-field performance. As a result of his drug usage, Maradona was suspended from football in 1991 and 1994. He also suffered from obesity and weight gain. But to allay these worries, Maradona had "gastric bypass surgery" in Colombia in 2005. After the surgery, he followed a liquid diet, which resulted in a significant change in his weight.

During his life, Maradona faced many health difficulties. He was admitted to the hospital in 2007 due to alcohol addiction and hepatitis. At this period, many unfounded rumors were circulating about his health, including several reports that he had died suddenly. After that, Maradona was treated for alcohol-related issues at a specialized mental facility and released in May 2007. He announced on Argentine television that he had given up using drugs and was sober for 2.5 years.

Notably, Maradona drew attention for his unpredictable conduct and the white residue he said was caused by drinking too much wine on the glass in front of his seat at the 2018 World Cup.

His stomach had been internally bleeding, and he had surgery in January 2019 to fix the hernia.

Death of Diego Maradona

Maradona was admitted to the La Plata hospital on November 2, 2020, apparently for psychological issues. According to his spokesperson, he didn't have a serious illness.

He had emergency brain surgery the next day to treat a subdural hematoma. He underwent a successful procedure, and on November 12, he was released from the hospital and kept receiving outpatient care.

Regretfully, on November 25, at the age of sixty, Maradona suffered a heart attack and died quietly while sleeping at his home in Dique Lujan, in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to the biography of Diego Maradona, in remembrance of the football player, the coffin bearing the flag of Argentina and three of his famous number 10 t-shirts (from Boca Juniors, Argentinos Juniors, and the Argentina national team) was on display at the Presidential Palace, Casa Rosada, so that mourners could pay their respects.

Tens of thousands of people attended his wake on November 26, but his family decided to cut it short because of fans who had taken over an inner courtyard and started fighting with the police. Maradona was buried next to his parents at the Jardin de Bella Vista mausoleum in Bella Vista, Buenos Aires; on the same day, a private funeral service was held.