Diego Maradona

Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960), is a former Argentine football player. He is regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time, as well as one of the most controversial.

Early years

Diego Armando Maradona was born in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown in the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, 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 Eduardo (Lalo), both of whom were also professional footballers.

At age 10, Maradona was spotted by a talent scout while he was playing in his neighborhood club Estrella Roja. He became a staple of the Cebollitas, the junior team of Buenos Aires side Argentinos Juniors. As a ball-boy in first division games, he amused spectators by showing his wizardry with the ball during the halftime intermissions.

Playing career

At age 15, Maradona made his debut with Argentinos Juniors, where he played between 1976 and 1981 before his transfer to the club that he supported, Boca Juniors, where he played during the remainder of the 1981 season and 1982 and secured his first league title. He debuted with the Argentina national football team ("la selección"), at age 16, against Hungary. At age 18, he played the Football World Youth Championship for Argentina, and was the star of the tournament, shining in their 3–1 final win over the USSR team.

In 1982, Maradona played his first World Cup tournament. In the first round, Argentina, as defending champions, lost to Belgium 0-1. Although the team convincingly beat Hungary and El Salvador to progress to the second round, they were defeated in the second round by Italy (1:2), the side which eventually won the cup, and Brazil (1:3), during which game Maradona was sent off for kicking an opponent.

Later in the year, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain. In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey (Spain's annual national cup competition), beating Real Madrid. However, Maradona had an unhappy tenure in Barcelona: first a bout with hepatitis, and then an ill-timed tackle by Athletic Bilbao's Andoni Goikoetxea that put Maradona's career on the line; Maradona's physical strength and willpower made it possible for him to be back on the pitch after only 14 weeks. It is said that while playing for Barcelona, Maradona was introduced to cocaine, to which he would become addicted.

Maradona, due in part to his rebellious nature, got into frequent disputes with Barcelona's directors especially club president Josep Lluís Nuñez and in 1984 he demanded a transfer out of of the Nou Camp. He subsequently went to Serie A and SSC Napoli, where he became an adored star, lifting the team to its most successful era. Napoli won their only Italian Championships (1986/87 and 1989/1990), a Coppa Italia (1987), a UEFA Cup (1989) and an Italian Supercup (1990). Napoli were also runners-up in the Italian Championship twice (1987/88 and 1988/89).

Maradona inspired the Argentine national team to victory in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, the team winning 3–2 in the final against West Germany. Throughout the 1986 World Cup, Maradona asserted his dominance and was widely regarded as the best player of the tournament. However, it was the two goals he scored in the quarter-final game against England which cemented his legend. Action replay footage showed that the first goal was scored with the aid of his hand. He later claimed it was the "Hand of God" and described it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God," implying that God was ultimately responsible for the goal, because the referee had missed the handball offense. However, on 22 August 2005 Maradona acknowledged on his television show that he hit the ball with his hand purposely and that he immediately knew the goal was illegitimate. He recalled thinking right after the goal that "I was waiting for my teammates to embrace me, and no one came . . . I told them, 'Come hug me, or the referee isn't going to allow it.'" CNNSI - "The right way to cheat Pulling a fast one is sometimes part of the game" Last retrieved May 19 2006

In contrast, however, Maradona's second goal in the England game was a simply astonishing display of footballing skill. He ran half the length of the pitch, passing five English players (Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid, Kenny Sansom, Terry Butcher, and Terry Fenwick) as well as goalkeeper Peter Shilton. This goal was voted Goal of the Century in a 2002 online poll conducted by FIFA. Argentina went on to defeat England 2-1 in that game, knocking them out of the tournament. The two goals were ranked 6th in the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments in 2002 by the UK's Channel 4 television channel.

He followed this with two other noted goals in the semi-final against Belgium. In the final the opposing German side attempted to subdue him by double-marking but he nevertheless found the space to lay on the winning goal for Jorge Burruchaga.

Maradona also captained Argentina in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, leading his team to the final, where they infamously lost 1–0 to West Germany due to a highly questionable penalty conceded in the 85th minute. He arrived at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and played two games (scoring one goal) before being sent home after failing a drug test for ephedrine doping. In his autobiography Maradona stated that his personal trainer was giving him a power drink known as Rip Fuel in preparation for the tournament, a drink which in Argentina contained no traces of ephedrine (a stimulant widely used in US sports but banned in football) but which did however in the United States. Having run out of his Argentinian dosage Maradona's trainer bought what he thought was the same formula in the US. Disastrously for Maradona however, the US version contained small traces of ephedrine and he failed the drug test. FIFA subsequently expelled him from USA '94 and the Argentinians, affected by his absence, went home in the second round. Maradona famously described his punishment as "they cut off my legs".

In Naples Maradona transformed the local club, SSC Napoli. Traditionally they had been overshadowed by the teams from the industrial cities in the north, but Maradona's arrival (along with Careca and others) brought them a first scudetto in 1987, followed by a second in 1990, and cup successes. However, he also faced a scandal there regarding an illegitimate son and was the object of some suspicion over his friendship with the Camorra, the local mafia.

Maradona left Napoli in 1992, after serving a 15-month ban for failing the drug test for cocaine, and played for Sevilla FC (1992–93), Newell's Old Boys (1993) and Boca Juniors (1995–97). He also attempted to work as a coach on two short stints, leading Mandiyú of Corrientes (1994) and Racing Club (1995) without much success. He retired from football on October 30, 1997.

Football style

Short and stocky, Maradona had a very strong physique and could withstand physical pressure better than almost all players. His strong legs and low center of gravity gave him additional advantage in short sprints. This is illustrated by his two goals against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup.

He was also a wizard with the ball and could manage himself in limited spaces, attracting defenders only to quickly dash out of the melee (as in the second goal against England), or pass to a free teammate who would take the ball and score, like Burruchaga did to secure the 1986 World Cup.

Maradona could convert fragile possessions into goals. His goal against Italy in the 1986 World Cup demonstrated this. In Maradona's time defenses became more athletic, so both dribbling and securing possession of the ball.

One of Maradona's trademark moves was dribbling full-speed as a left wing, and on reaching the opponent's goal line, delivering accurate passes to his teammates that many times proved lethal. Another trademark was the Rabona or reverse-cross pass (shot behind the leg that holds all the weight), with which he provided several assists, such as the powerful cross for Ramón Díaz's header in the 1980 friendly against Switzerland.

Maradona's kicking had a mixture of precision and power that enabled him to score many free kicks. Since he seldom used his right foot for any decisive action, defenders were confounded the few times he did.

Retirement and honours

In 2000, Maradona published his autobiography Yo Soy El Diego ("I am The Diego"), which became an instant bestseller in his home country.

In the same year, FIFA conducted an poll on the Internet, to find the Player of the Century. Maradona, with 53.6% of the votes, was a clear winner. Then, in a previously unannounced move, FIFA appointed a "Football Family" committee, which voted to elect Pelé to the title. Two awards were made, one to each of the pair: Maradona accepted his prize, but left the awards ceremony without waiting to see Pelé receive his accolade.

In 2001, the Argentine Football Association asked FIFA for authorization to retire the jersey number 10 as an homage to Maradona. FIFA did not grant the request, even though Argentine officials have maintained that FIFA hinted that it would.

Maradona has won other 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.

Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors named team's stadium after Diego Maradona on December 26, 2003.

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) 'El Diez emprende dos nuevos desafíos', ESPN Deportes (July 28 2005). Retrieved August 17 2005. His contract began 1 August 2005, and one of his first recommendations proved to be very effective: he was the one who decided to hire Alfio Basile as the new coach. With Maradona staying very close to the players, Boca went on to win the 2005 Apertura title, the 2006 Clausura title, the 2005 Copa Sudamericana and the 2005 Recopa Sudamericana. As of 2006, Maradona remains aloof of day-to-day activities and is seen mostly on game days, cheering from his private box in the Bombonera.

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. 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 Zidane, Ronaldo Reuters/Yahoo! - "Zidane, Ronaldo to appear on Maradona TV show" (August 19 2005). Retrieved August 20 2005 and Hernán Crespo, but also included interviews with other notable persons such as Fidel Castro and Mike Tyson.

The award-winning Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica is creating a documentary about Maradona's life, entitled Maradona. The film is currently in post-production, and its release is anticipated in 2006. Italian-Australian actor Marco Leonardi has been confirmed to play the prolific footballer in the film.

Personal agents

Jorge Cyterszpiller, a childhood friend, was Maradona's first agent. He set up Maradona Producciones but did not score any major successes with merchandising, as counterfeiters would quickly imitate any product that came on the market. On his advice, Maradona started charging for interviews, a move that generated some controversy.

After breaking up with Cyterszpiller, Maradona hooked up with Guillermo Coppola, a bank employee who had started representing players as a hobby and was already a major agent in the mid-1980s. Coppola oversaw the biggest contracts of Maradona's career, but also was involved in the drug scandals of the early 1990s. Maradona and Coppola parted ways acrimoniously, and they still refer to the end of their relations as an "open wound".

Personal life

Maradona married long-time fiancée Claudia Villafañe on November 7, 1989 in Buenos Aires, after the birth of their daughters, Dalma Nerea (b. 1987) and Giannina Dinorah (b. 1989). 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 traveled together to Napoli for a series of homages in June 2005 ESPN Deportes - "Llega en son de paz" Last retrieved May 19 2006 and were seen together on many other occasions, including the Argentina matches during 2006 FIFA World Cup.

During the divorce proceedings, Maradona admitted he was the father of Diego Sinagra (b. Naples, 1986), as was claimed by the youth's mother Cristiana Sinagra. (The Italian courts had so ruled in 1993, after Maradona refused to undergo DNA tests for proving or disproving his paternity.) Diego Jr. met Maradona for the first time in May 2003 after tricking his way onto a golf course in Naples where Maradona was playing. ESPN Deportes - "El amor al ídolo" Last retrieved May 19 2006

After the divorce, Claudia embarked on a career as a theater producer, and Dalma is seeking an acting career; she has expressed her desire to attend the Actor's Studio in Los Angeles. Clarin.com - "Había una vez... un elenco para la selección" Last retrieved May 19 2006 Clarin.com - "Dalma Maradona: diario de una princesa" Last retrieved May 19 2006

Health situation

In marked contrast to the athleticism he showed during his years as a football player, Maradona has had a series of health problems since retirement.

Since the 1990s, Maradona has been battling a cocaine addiction, which included spells in Swiss and Cuban detox clinics. Between 2002 and 2005, Maradona spent most of his time in Cuba.

On April 18 2004, doctors reported that Maradona had suffered a major heart attack following a cocaine overdose; he was admitted to intensive care in a Buenos Aires hospital. Scores of fans gathered around the clinic. Days after the heart attack, a nurse was caught taking photos of Maradona with a mobile phone and was promptly fired by the hospital managers.

After he showed improvement, Maradona was taken off the respirator on April 23 and remained in intensive care for several days before being discharged on April 29. He returned to Cuba in May.

Maradona has always had a tendency to put on weight, and suffered increasingly with obesity from the end of his playing career until undergoing gastric bypass surgery in a clinic in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia on March 6 2005. When Maradona resumed public appearances shortly thereafter, he displayed a notably thinner figure.

Political views

During the nineties, Maradona supported the presidency of neoliberal Carlos Menem in Argentina. In more recent years, Maradona has shown more sympathy to left-wing ideologies. He became friends with Fidel Castro while in treatment in Cuba. He has a portrait of Castro tattooed on his left leg and one of Ernesto Che Guevara on his right arm. He has declared his opposition to 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 Stop Bush T-shirt and referring to Bush as "human garbage".

Reputation

Ever since 1986, it is common for Argentines abroad to hear Maradona's name as a token of recognition, even in remote places. In Argentina, Maradona is often talked about in terms reserved for legends. In the Argentine film El Hijo de la Novia ("The bride's son"), an actor who plays a fake Catholic priest says to a bar patron: "they idolized him and then crucified him". When scolded by a friend for taking the prank too far, the fake priest retorts: "But I was talking about Maradona".

In Buenos Aires, fans organized the "Church of Maradona." Maradona's 43rd birthday in 2003 marked the start of the Year 43 D.D. - "Después de Diego" or After Diego - for its founding 200 members. Tens of thousands more have become members via the church's official web site.

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

Maradona still generates controversy in England. In 1988, he played in an invitational game at London's Wembley Stadium celebrating the centenary of the English Football League. Maradona was part of the 'Rest of the World XI' playing against the English League XI. Each time that Maradona touched the ball he was subject to angry chants and boos from the crowd. It was reported that he received threats while in England.

A columnist for the sports daily Olé welcomed Maradona's hosting a TV show in 2005, noting that "for the first time, he seems to have found his place in the world outside the football pitch".

A 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 Kaka and Ronaldo. He wakes up crying that it was a nightmare.

In May 2006, Maradona agreed to take part in UK's Soccer Aid (a program to raise money for Unicef). Maradona showed his skill with the ball and even scored a penalty"Maradona scores but England win UNICEF match", Yahoo-FIFA. After the program was aired, it was made public that Maradona received 10 times more money than most of the other participants."Football legend Diego Maradona is to take part in 'Soccer Aid' " - FemaleFirst

Career statistics

International

1977–1994 Argentina (91 appearances, 34 goals)
21 appearances in four FIFA World Cup Championships (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994)
Argentina second-highest goal-scorer (held the record until surpassed by Gabriel Batistuta)

Club honours

1981 Argentine league (Boca Juniors)
1983 Copa del Rey (FC Barcelona)
1987 Italian league (SSC Napoli)
1987 Italian Cup (SSC Napoli)
1988 Italian top-scorer (SSC Napoli)
1989 UEFA Cup (SSC Napoli)
1990 Italian league (SSC Napoli)
1991 Italian Super Cup (SSC Napoli)

International honours

1979 FIFA World Youth Championship: Winner
1982 FIFA World Cup: Second round (11th place)
1986 FIFA World Cup: Winner
1990 FIFA World Cup: Runner-up
1993 Artemio Franchi Trophy: Winner
1994 FIFA World Cup: Second round (10th place)

Coaching career

1994 Mandiyú de Corrientes
1995 Racing Club de Avellaneda

Individual honours

1979–1981, 1986 Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year
1979, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992 South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)
1986 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Year
1986 Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA World Cup
1986 European Footballer of the Year (France Football)
1986–1987 Best Footballer in the World (Once)
1986 World Player of the Year (World Soccer Magazine)
1996 Golden Ball for services to football (France Football)
1999 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Century
2000 "FIFA best football player of the century", people's choice.
2002 "FIFA Goal of the Century" (1986 (2–1) v. England; second goal)
2005 Argentine Senate "Domingo Faustino Sarmiento" recognition for lifetime achievement.

References

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