“He won everything, he was not afraid of anyone”, we arrived in Argentina

Daniel Erdelit is also related to the legend who passed away on Wednesday (Photo: AFP)

– How did Diego meet Maradona?
– My grandfather and my parents emigrated to Argentina in the thirties, I was already born here, but thanks to my mother I speak some Hungarian. Twenty-two years ago, my cousin married Maradona’s cousin, and I, too, was an official at the wedding, which was only attended by the closest relatives anyway. Here I was lucky to meet him in person, we also talked, but above all the wedding and the ceremony was the topic. I didn’t want to ask him about his privacy and his football. Of course, when it occurred to me that he was Hungarian, he immediately mentioned Ferenc Puskás, whom he knew well from Real Madrid. And I immediately told him that my cousin, Ferenc Csutorás, Eger’s winemaker, whose grandfather was a good friend and business partner of Puskás, said a real estate agent of Hungarian origin born in Argentina in an exclusive interview with the help of Ferenc Csutorás. Daniel Erdeli, who has his own company in Buenos Aires and is also linked to a legend who passed away on Wednesday.

Daniel Erdeli

– What kind of person did you meet at the wedding?
“He was very direct and fun, he danced and sang a lot, he seemed to love both of them. Everyone knew that he was a difficult man, he stood up to everyone if he felt he was experiencing injustice. He was not afraid of anyone and gave his opinion on everything. He, on the other hand, loved his family and behaved completely differently around them. He also showed this face at the wedding, he was very nice to everyone.

– What did you say when you first heard that he was gone?
“I was very surprised, like everyone else, the news surprised me.” I didn’t want to believe it. He had very difficult times, but it could have been drug problems or health problems, he always survived everything. He was also convinced that he would win every battle and had a very strong personality both physically and mentally.

– The latter may be surprising in light of the drug problems and various scandals.
“He was mentally strong in what he wanted to be.” He knew what he wanted to achieve and he achieved it. Since he was little he was convinced that he would play the World Cup, and he did. He always emphasized that he wanted to be a role model on the soccer field, not in life. He said everyone should look for these role models in their homes. He had problems, I didn’t like many things either, but I loved his passion, his love for his family and the way he stood up for the poor. To him, they were all the same and they never forgot where he came from. And in the national team jersey, he did everything he could to succeed, which is why they loved him so much. And because he was a special individual with unforgettable voices. This savagery is lacking, for example, in Lionel Messi, who does brilliant things on the field, but outside of that he is not so much an individuality with character.

– Maradona said in one of his last interviews that he was surprised they still love him so much. Did you really not want to believe that so many fans were in favor?
“Rather, he didn’t want to believe that he had come this far from deep poverty and brought joy to so many people.” He also got older, had more time to look back on his life and how much he had accomplished.

– I know it is almost impossible to put this, but what does it mean, what did it mean for Argentina?
“Above all, you have to know that the war in the Malvinas Islands continues to cause enormous pain to Argentines, an incurable wound in the soul of the people. Many young people died there who were not really soldiers and were practically children. It was an unjust and unnecessary war. People fled to football, through which they were able to break a bit with reality. This passion was represented by Diego Maradona, who scored four forever memorable goals against England four years after the war. For us that clash was much more than a football match, and it is really only understood by Argentines who lived through the horrors of war. With goals against the English, victory and then the world title, Maradona delighted many people, he became a national hero, thanks to him the Argentine people joined. For that we can never be grateful.

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