According to several press sources, his major challengers included; Diego Simeone, Carlos Bianchi, Miguel Ángel Russo, and Sergio Batista. He allegedly began using the drug in Barcelona in 1983. [302][303][304][305][306], On 27 November 2020, the Aditya School of Sports in Barasat, Kolkata, India named their cricket stadium after Maradona. Paul Greengrass and Toby Follett report", "Camorra, arrestato il boss amico di Maradona", "At his best, Diego Maradona can be as graceful as Michael Jordan. [293] UEFA and CONMEBOL announced that every match in the Champions League, Europa League, Copa Libertadores, and Copa Sudamericana would hold a moment of silence prior to kickoff. Argentina beat West Germany 3–2 in front of 115,000 fans at the Azteca with Maradona lifting the World Cup as captain. Extraordinary efficiency. "[328] He added, "...I was fascinated by his journey, wherever he went there were moments of incredible brilliance and drama. [15] He was the first son after four daughters. [40] After receiving another hard tackle by Goikoetxea, as well as being taunted with racist insults related to his father's Native American ancestry throughout the match by Bilbao fans, and being provoked by Bilbao's Miguel Sola at full time after Barcelona lost 1–0, Maradona snapped. [64], After serving a 15-month ban for failing a drug test for cocaine, Maradona left Napoli in disgrace in 1992. [135][136] While he was primarily a creative playmaker, Maradona was also known for his finishing and goalscoring ability. 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. [45] During the 1989 UEFA Cup Final against Stuttgart, Maradona scored from a penalty in a 2–1 home victory in the first leg, later assisting Careca's match–winning goal,[49][50] while in the second leg on 17 May – a 3–3 away draw –, he assisted Ciro Ferrara's goal with a header. At the final in Rome, Argentina lost 1–0 to West Germany, the only goal being a controversial penalty scored by Andreas Brehme in the 85th minute, after Rudi Völler was adjudged to be fouled.[101]. [11] From September 2018 to June 2019, Maradona was coach of Mexican club Dorados. The final was held at River Plate 's home stadium, Estadio Monumental, in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. FILE – In this March 1987 file photo, Pele, left, and Maradona hold “Sports Oscar” trophies in Milan, Rome. In April 1996, Maradona had a three-round exhibition boxing match with Santos Laciar for charity. "[177][178] Moreover, Maradona was notorious for his poor diet and extreme lifestyle off the pitch, including his use of illicit drugs and alcohol abuse, which along with personal issues, his metabolism, medication that he was prescribed, and periods of inactivity due to injuries and suspensions, led to his significant weight–gain and physical decline as his career progressed; his lack of discipline and difficulties in his turbulent personal life are thought by some in the sport to have negatively impacted his performances and longevity in the later years of his playing career. [21] Maradona also appeared for Tottenham Hotspur in a testimonial match for Osvaldo Ardiles against Internazionale, shortly before the 1986 World Cup. Maradona also came fifth in the vote of the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics). After scoring two contrasting goals in the 2–1 quarter-final win against England, his legend was cemented. [88][89] 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 later stated he did not entirely agree with. They travelled together to Naples for a series of homages in June 2005 and were seen together on other occasions, including the Argentina games during 2006 World Cup. There's still so much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to his relatives. GRADING ASSESSMENT: Very good, extraordinary. [225][226] 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". [217], On 5 September 2019, Maradona was unveiled as the new head coach of Gimnasia de La Plata, signing a contract until the end of the season. [190] In 2017, FourFourTwo ranked him in first place in their list of "100 greatest players,"[164] while in 2018, he was ranked in first place by the same magazine in their list of the "Greatest Football Players in World Cup History";[191] in March 2020, he was also ranked first by Jack Gallagher of 90min.com in their list of "Top 50 Greatest Players of All Time". "[266] Maradona was Chávez's guest of honour at the opening game of the 2007 Copa América held in Venezuela. [280][281], On 2 November 2020, Maradona was admitted to a hospital in La Plata, supposedly for psychological reasons. [323] Later on in the commercial he wakes up realizing it was a nightmare after having too much of the drink. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. 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. Using expletives, Sola mimicked a gesture from the crowd towards Maradona by using a xenophobic term. [320] In 2010 he appeared in a commercial for French fashion house Louis Vuitton, indulging in a game of table football with fellow World Cup winners Pelé and Zinedine Zidane. He made his full international debut at age 16, against Hungary, on 27 February 1977. Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona dies at 60. He was obese from the end of his playing career until undergoing gastric bypass surgery in a clinic in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, on 6 March 2005. FIFA expelled him from USA '94, and Argentina were subsequently eliminated in the round of 16 by Romania in Los Angeles. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2009, Luca Caioli (2013). Maradona did so in 1979 and 1986, which Messi emulated in 2005 and 2014. I hate it with all my strength. Maradona was coyly evasive, describing it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". He protects the ball very well to play it immediately with great efficiency. [22] After the game, Maradona said, "That day I felt I had held the sky in my hands. "[264], Maradona voiced support for Bolivia's ousted president Evo Morales[265] and was also a supporter of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Maradona married long-time fiancée Claudia Villafañe on 7 November 1989 in Buenos Aires,[237] 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. [211] Unusually, both Baggio and Maradona wore the number 10 shirt, despite playing on the same team. [222] Despite having a bad record during the 2019–20 season, Gimnasia renewed Maradona's contract on 3 June 2020 through the 2020–21 season. p. 251. "[73] Maradona had 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. "[315] In leading his nation to the 1986 World Cup, and in particular his performance and two goals in the quarter-final against England, Guillem Balagué writes: "That Sunday in Mexico City, the world saw one man single-handedly – in more than one sense of the phrase – lift the mood of a depressed and downtrodden nation into the stratosphere. Secondly, the scope of his celebrity was such that he absorbed all the pressures on behalf of his team-mates. [188] In a 2014 FIFA poll, Maradona was voted the second-greatest number 10 of all-time, behind only Pelé,[189] and later that year, was ranked second in The Guardian's list of the 100 greatest World Cup players of all-time, ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, once again behind Pelé. I'd never felt like that before, but it's true... and not just because it was such an important game. "[271] In September 2014, Maradona met with Pope Francis in Rome, crediting Francis for inspiring him to return to religion after many years away; he stated, "We should all imitate Pope Francis. [13] After two months in charge he left the club on 19 November. Argentine soccer genius Maradona saw heaven and hell Back to video. Did you know Maradona was not chosen to play in the 1978 World Cup because the Argentine coach thought he was too young to play? With two goals in the space of four minutes, he allowed them to dare to dream that they, like him, could be the best in the world. Great passing. The Italian courts had already ruled so in 1993, after Maradona refused to undergo DNA tests to prove or disprove his paternity. A person close to Maradona … They reported that at that point, Maradona had paid only €42,000, two luxury watches and a set of earrings. The only match Argentina played during Maradona's ban was a friendly away to Catalonia, which they lost 4–2. [18] He named Brazilian playmaker Rivellino and Manchester United winger George Best among his inspirations growing up. [312], On 30 November, after Boca Juniors opened the scoring against Newell's Old Boys at La Bombonera, the club's players paid an emotional tribute by laying a Maradona jersey in front of his private suite where his daughter Dalma was present.[313]. 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. [238], Maradona and Villafañe divorced in 2004. They all speak of the fact that he did not train, but it was not true because Diego was the last person to leave the pitch, it was necessary to send him away because otherwise he would stay for hours to invent free kicks. [261] Maradona declared his opposition to what he identified as imperialism, particularly during the 2005 Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Argentina 1978 Diego MARADONA home Retro Soccer jersey Football shirt #10. [199], 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. In the 1990 World Cup second-round tie against Brazil, he used his right foot to set up the winning goal for Claudio Caniggia due to two Brazilian markers forcing him into a position that made use of his left foot less practical.[163]. Argentine legend Diego Maradona died on Wednesday at the age of 60 at his home on the outskirts of Buenos Aires following a heart attack. There's also no question he’s a wonderful athlete and has maintained a friendship with Cuba to no material gain of his own. And this was revenge. Daughter Dalma has since asserted that the divorce was the best solution for all, as her parents remained on friendly terms. Maradona has had several online Flash games that are entirely dedicated to his legacy. "Maradona: The Hand of God". [48], Napoli would win their second league title in 1989–90, and finish runners up in the league twice, in 1987–88 and 1988–89. A genuine phenomenon. Despite interest from Real Madrid and Marseille, he signed for Sevilla, where he stayed for one year. [142] This manoeuvre led to several assists, such as the cross for Ramón Díaz's header against Switzerland in 1980. Maradona was sacked on 10 July 2012. Very good speed in efficiency. At age 18, Maradona played the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship in Japan and emerged as the star of the tournament, shining in Argentina's 3–1 final win over the Soviet Union, scorin… Argentine soccer superstar Diego Armando Maradona cheers after the Napoli team clinched its first Italian major league title on May 10, 1987 in Naples, Italy. [110], —Michel Platini, former French midfielder, on Maradona's ball control[14], Described as a "classic number 10" in the media,[111] Maradona was a traditional playmaker who usually played in a free role, either as an attacking midfielder behind the forwards, or as a second striker in a front–two,[112][113][114] although he was also deployed as an offensive–minded central midfielder in a 4–4–2 formation on occasion.