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(CNN) – “A little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
Those four words, “the hand of God”, describe one of the most iconic moments in soccer history, a goal that belongs to one of the most iconic soccer players in soccer history: Diego Armando Maradona, who died in the 60 years.
Maradona was born in 1960 in the Villa Fiorito area of Buenos Aires and would become one of the most famous faces on the planet.
On the afternoon of that moment of divine intervention, a sweltering day in Mexico City in 1986, Maradona was at the peak of his powers.
While that first goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals, a punch on goalkeeper Peter Shilton, a player 20 centimeters taller than the diminutive Argentine, showed Maradona’s cunning, which followed four minutes later. He displayed his soccer skills in all his majesty.
After receiving the ball inside his own court, Maradona moved from side to side, his short, sturdy legs pumping quickly as he left seven England defenders in his wake, circled Shilton and shoved the ball into the net.
“Genius! Genius! Genius!” was the legendary commentary of the announcer Víctor Hugo Morales. “What planet are you from? I want to cry.”
So did England’s players and their nation of soccer fans, but not for the same reasons. That second goal was later voted FIFA’s “World Cup Goal of the Century.” It is an appropriate title for, without a doubt, one of the best goals ever scored.
Maradona was certainly a household name before the 1986 World Cup, but after leading Argentina to the title he became a true global superstar.
The Updown
Maradona’s stratospheric highs on the field were matched by extreme lows outside of it. His well-documented addiction, substance abuse, illegitimate children and disputes over money ruined the Argentine at various stages throughout his career.
An unrecognized son, mob shots and cocaine binges were featured in British filmmaker Asif Kapadia’s Oscar-winning documentary about Maradona’s time at Naples, possibly the period in his football career when he was most successful. .
While captivating the world and bringing glory to Argentina in Mexico, Maradona’s personal life was mired in controversy.
His lover Cristiana Sinagra was back in Italy, pregnant with Diego Armando Maradona Sinagra. For years he refused to acknowledge paternity and did not meet his son until 2003.
Kapadia’s film shows occasions in which Maradona came into contact with the Camorra, the Neapolitan mafia, and the documentary shows photographs of the soccer player smiling alongside members of the crime syndicate.
As a Napoli player at the height of his addiction, partying from Sunday to Wednesday, Maradona described how he would return home and lock himself in the bathroom to hide from his young daughters.
The God of Naples
Despite the fact that soccer eventually led him down this dark path, Maradona described the sport as his “salvation.” His talents helped him lift his family out of poverty, leaving Boca Juniors in his native Argentina for a world record transfer fee to Barcelona in 1982.
The five-foot-five-inch wizard spent two years devastated by injuries at the Catalan club, unaware of his full potential, before signing for Napoli – or, as one announcer put it: “The poorest city in Italy buy the most expensive player in the world. “
In the city of Naples, football is a religion for its inhabitants. Maradona would become their God.
At its inauguration, 70,000 fans flocked to Napoli’s San Paolo stadium to catch a glimpse of their new signing, unable to believe that the best footballer on the planet had chosen to play for their team.
During his seven years at the club, he would guide Napoli, almost singlehandedly, to their first Serie A title in 1987. He went on to win a second three years later, while also leading the team to the Italian Cup and the UEFA. Cup of glory.
Murals of Maradona’s face are painted throughout the city, some depicting the “Golden Child” with a glowing halo. Although he hails from another continent entirely, Maradona became the adopted son of Naples.
After a failed drug test in 1991 and a 15-month ban on playing soccer, as well as another failed drug test at the 1994 World Cup, his career on the pitch failed. While in Spain and back in Argentina, he was unable to regain that form that dazzled fans and opponents.
Maradona’s subsequent nomadic managerial career has taken him from a chaotic period in charge of the Argentine national team to the domestic league in the United Arab Emirates.
His time in charge of the Mexican club Dorados, which was documented in the Netflix behind-the-scenes series “Maradona in Mexico,” was surprisingly successful, but ultimately ended with two narrow losses in the play-offs.
The red carpet has been rolled out wherever Maradona has gone, or a throne, as was the case when he returned to the childhood side in Newell’s Old Boys’ while in charge of the current Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata club.
Many have played the game, but none have made as long a mark as El Diego.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Diego Armando Maradona: The Tormented Genius Who Became One of Soccer’s Greatest Players.”
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