FACTFILE
|
Born: |
30 Oct 1960 |
Caps: |
91 |
Goals: |
34 |
|
--
WORLD
CUP FACTFILE
|
Winner
1986
Beaten
finalist
1990
Participated
1982,1986,1990,1994
Games/Goals
21/8
|
--
|
Diego
Maradona
(Argentina)
Diego Armando Maradona is one of the greatest players in the history of the game - many even regard him as the greatest. He was a brave
and natural born leader on the field, a streetwise character who could pull a rabbit out of the hat at any stage of the game. Short,
stocky and left-footed with awe-inspiring ball control, dribbling, passing and playmaking skills, made him almost impossible to contain
at his best. And the world got to see him at his peak in the 1986 World Cup. His tournament contribution to Argentina's triumph has been
generally accepted as the best in history by a single player of any World Cup.
He was born in Buenos Aires and grew up in the shantytown of Villa Fiorito in a large family as one of eight kids. Playing for Los
Cebollitas (The little onions), Maradona quickly made a name for himself as a wonderboy with unbelievable ball skills. He received
national recognition as a 10 year-old entertaining crowds with ball juggling at half-time breaks. A television crew once interviewed
him during those years and he said: "I have two dreams: To play in the World Cup and to win it."
Maradona was still only fifteen when he made his debut in top flight club football for struggling Argentinos Juniors, and only
sixteen when he won his first cap for Argentina against Hungary in 1977. The career sky rocketed at Argentinos and Maradona was
top scorer five times in the Argentinian league, twice in the Nacional tournament and three times in the Metropolitano. He was
voted South American Player of the Year in 1979 and 1980.
His first major disappointment was to be dropped from Argentina's World Cup squad for the tournament on home soil in 1978. Coach
Cesar Luis Menotti felt Maradona was too young at 17 to cope with the pressure of this occasion. Reputedly, he was the last player
to be cut from the 22 man roster which originally had a bunch of other names. The following year Maradona lead Argentina to the World
Youth Cup title in Japan instead.
A £1 million transfer to Boca Juniors in 1981 helped Maradona win his only Argentinian league championship, and soon Europe
beckoned. FC Barcelona broke the world transfer record fee when they paid £5 million for his services from the start of 1982/83.
By then, Maradona's reputation had been marred by his actions in the 1982 World Cup in Spain, which saw him get sent off in frustration
for a vicious foul on Brazil's Batista. Against Italy in the previous match, Claudio Gentile was allowed to foul Maradona time and again
and get away with it. Argentina bowed out in the second phase.
His spell in Barcelona lasted only two seasons and both were hampered by illness, injuries and other scandals. First he was sidelined
for months with hepatitis, and then more months out the next season after a broken ankle caused by Andoni Goikoetxea, "The Butcher from
Bilbao". There was also the ongoing disputes with Barcelona's president Nuñez. However, inbetween the problems Maradona also had some
memorable performances for Barca, including one away to Real Madrid where he received a standing ovation from the Bernabeu crowd, but
his period in Spain ended on a sour note with the mass brawl in the Copa del Rey-final against Athletic Bilbao where Maradona played his
part in what reminded more of kung-fu fighting than football.
SSC Napoli, who barely avoided relegation each of the two previous seasons, decided to splash out a world record £6.9 million for
Maradona in the summer of 1984. On the day of his presentation, there were 75 000 people packed at San Paolo. In the years that
followed, Maradona was the cornerstone as the club transformed itself from a bottom team to a powerhouse in the world's strongest
league at the time - Serie A.
Right in the middle of those build-up years at Napoli, there was the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. The crowning moment of Maradona's
career. Against England in the quarterfinal he showed both sides of himself within few minutes; the clever cheater and the genius
talent. A cheeky handball goal which he later said was the Hand of God, and then his amazing dribbling run of 60 yards regarded as
the greatest World Cup goal in history. Two more goals by Maradona against Belgium in the semifinal was followed up by a 3-2 win against
West Germany in the final, including an assist to Jorge Burruchaga's deciding goal. Maradona was voted Golden Ball winner as best player and
even World Athlete of the Year 1986 by United Press International.
Success followed at club level in Italy as Napoli captured their historic first league championship in 1986/87 knocking Michel Platini's
Juventus off the throne and adding Coppa Italia at the same time. Celebrations in the chaotic southern city reached new heights. In
1989, the UEFA Cup was won and another league championship in 1990 before the World Cup in Italy.
Maradona carried an injury going into Italia '90 and was not on the same level as four years earlier, neither was his team. His most
memorable moment in the World Cup was the assist to Claudio Caniggia's match-winning goal against Brazil in the second round. Argentina
beat hosts Italy on penalties in a very hyped semifinal match played in Naples, but couldn't prevent West Germany winning the World Cup.
Maradona was still voted the tournament's third best player.
After failing a drug test for cocaine in March 1991, the career went on a downward spiral. He was suspended for 15 months, made
comebacks for Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys later and looked to have things sorted out after promising performances at the 1994
World Cup in USA, only to be tested positive again, this time for ephedrine.
Diego Maradona finished his rollercoaster career with Boca Juniors.
| HOME
| 1982 | 1986
| 1990 | 1994
|
|
[HOME]
BACKGROUND
Info on how
the World Cup was founded and about the trophy as well. |
THE
WORLD CUPS
Detailed info
on every match in every tournament. |
COLUMNISTS
Interesting columns about the past, present and future of the World Cup. |
THE
NATIONS
Every nation
with appearances in the World Cup. Detailed info on every country. |
LEGENDS
Player profiles
of many of the most influential players in history. |
A-Z STORIES
An A-Z collection
of strange and different stories in World Cup history. |
STATISTICS
A big collection
of various statistics and records. |
MASCOTS
Every mascot
since it was introduced in 1966. |
QUIZ
Test your
knowledge about the WC. Three different levels. No prizes, just for fun. |
TOP
10 RANKINGS
Rankings of
lots of stuff. For instance Best Goals, Best Players and Best Matches. |
LINKS
Our collection
of links to other soccer sites with World Cup connection. |
LINK
TO
Some banners
and buttons for you to link to us if you want. |
ABOUT
US
A little information
on who keeps this site available. |
|