Eden17Hazard17
10 years ago
Amazing player Maradona, and amazing work tiki_taka
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Eden17Hazard17
10 years ago
Amazing player Maradona, and amazing work tiki_taka
tuan_jinn
10 years ago
Great work mate!
What a legend! I was so lucky to watch him played at my early age when I barely knew football, I just support who my parent did. But he was one of the special one that I liked personally.
His life style though, is a bit controversial, :D but it doesn't matter, as long as he is happy!
tuan_jinn
10 years ago
I would love to read more about his coaching career though.
Especially with the last worldcup 2010 when he had an insane qualification campaign, full of wrongs and rights, made it through the last minutes by his MOST insane selection of Martin Parlemo. Then, great run during the table round at the World Cup and got knocked out badly by the German. Messi failed to shine but inspired the team a lot...
One of the age-old debates in soccer centers on who is the best player of all time: Pele or Maradona?
The argument is multifaceted, but if one of the deciding factors were controversy, Diego Armando Maradona would win hands down.
From his infamous 'Hand of God' goal to the firing of a compressed air rifle at reporters outside his house, Maradona's past is checkered, but his genius never questioned.
His technique was sublime and left-foot magical. His strength, dribbling skills and close control combined to take him past defenders, the end result often a goal or an assist for a teammate.
In his autobiography, Maradona appears to harbor resentment against many in the game, those he believes have wronged him over the years. He is nothing if not honest about his feelings, and his outspoken views continue to cause a stir in in the game, long after retiring as a player in 1997.
Quick Facts:
Clubs:
Argentinos Juniors (1976-1981), Boca Juniors (1981-1982), Barcelona (1982-1984), Napoli (1984-1991), Sevilla (1992-93), Newell's Old Boys (1993), Boca Juniors (1995-1997)
The Early Years:
Maradona was raised in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires. One of six children in a poor family, he says in his autobiography that his father never allowed him to go without a meal, but that he had to work in a factory from 4 am each day to do so.
El Pibe de Oro (The Golden Boy) made his professional debut with Argentinos Juniors against Talleres de Córdoba on October 20, 1976, just 10 days short of his 16th birthday. He scored in excess of 100 goals for the club, but despite his mesmerizing form, a call-up from Cesar Luis Menotti for the 1978 World Cup was not forthcoming.
He played there between 1976 and 1981, scoring 115 goals in 167 appearances before his £1m transfer to Boca Juniors. Boca was the team Maradona always wanted to play for. Having joined the Boca squad midway through the 1981 season, Maradona played through 1982 earning his first league championship medal.
Controversy in Barcelona:
After the 1982 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain for a then world record fee of £5m ($7.6m).
In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey (Spain's annual national cup competition), beating Real Madrid, and the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic Bilbao. However, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona. First a bout of hepatitis, then a broken ankle caused by an ill-timed tackle by Athletic's Andoni Goikoetxea threatened to jeopardize Maradona's career,but after treatment and therapy it was possible for him to soon be back on the pitch.
During his two injury-hit seasons at Barcelona, Maradona scored 38 goals in 58 games.At Barcelona, Maradona got into frequent disputes with the team's directors, especially club president Josep Lluís Núñez, culminating with a demand to be transferred out of Camp Nou in 1984. He was transferred to Napoli in Italy's Serie A for another world record fee, £6.9m ($10.48m).
Napoli's Favorite Son:
El Diego came to be idolized by the Napoli fans as he led the club to Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990. This was an astounding feat, and a proud era for the south of Italy in their quest to compete with the north and such powerhouse clubs as Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
Maradona's characteristics matched those of the city and its people; defiant, unapologetic and passionate. The tifosi (fans) adored him and he paid them back with a string of beautiful goals and a genuine affinity for the club. Napoli also won the 1987 Coppa Italia and the 1989 Uefa Cup as Maradona's presence ushered in an era of unprecedented success at the Stadio San Paolo.
But his drug addiction continued, and a 15-month suspension after failing a drug test for cocaine saw him leave the country in disgrace. Links with the city's Mafia - the Camorra - also did little to enhance his reputation and he left for Spain in 1992.
A move to Sevilla didn't work out and after a brief stint at Newell's Old Boys, he finished his career at his beloved Boca Juniors.
Club career
1976 - 1981: Argentinos Juniors
1981 - 1982, 1995-1997: Boca Juniors
1982 - 1984: Barcelona (Spain)
1984 - 1991: Napoli (Italy)
1992 - 1993: Sevilla (Spain)
1993 - 1994: Newell's Old Boys
Honours
UEFA Cup winner: 1989
Argentinian Championship winner: 1981
Italian Championship winner: 1987, 1990
Spanish Cup winner: 1983
Italian Cup winner: 1987
Italian Super Cup winner: 1991
Individual
FIFA Internet Player of the Century
MasterCard World Team of the Century inductee
FIFA 100
South American Footballer of the Year: 1979, 1980
Argentinian Championship top scorer: 1979, 1980, 1981
Italian Championship top scorer: 1988
International Career:
One of Maradona's fondest memories is playing for his country in the 1979 World Youth Championship in Japan. He inspired his team-mates to victory, in the process putting behind him the disappointment of not traveling to the World Cup the year before.
Spectators at the 1982 World Cup did not see the best of Diego, although he did score twice against Hungary. His tournament ended in controversy, as he was sent-off against Brazil after getting frustrated with the tight marking of the Selecao defenders.
Four years later in Mexico, the captain brought his 'A' game, scoring five times, including that famous double against England. The first was his 'Hand of God' effort as he punched the ball over goalkeeper Peter Shilton and into the net. His second was sublime as he beat every player in his path and rounded the goalkeeper. Another brace against Italy carried his side into the final, where they beat West Germany 3-2.
Maradona also helped Argentina progress to the final in Italy four years later, but his contribution was hindered by an ankle injury. None of his determination had been diminished, however, but he could do nothing to stop a 1-0 defeat to West Germany in the final.
El Pibe was sent home in disgrace from the 1994 World Cup in the USA after two matches. He scored against Greece but after failing a drug test for ephedrine doping, FIFA expelled him from the tournament.
Thirty-four goals in 91 internationals makes Maradona Argentina's second highest scorer after Gabriel Batistuta, but it was more than just goals he brought to the table during one of soccer’s most controversial careers.
Honours
1986 FIFA World Cup™ winner
1990 FIFA World Cup runner-up
Artemio Franchi Trophy winner: 1993
1979 FIFA World Youth Championship winner
Individual
1986 FIFA World Cup adidas Golden Ball
1990 FIFA World Cup adidas Bronze Ball
FIFA Goal of the Century winner (for his second goal against England in 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final)
1979 FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Ball
Maradona is the Mohamed Ali of Football, he has the talent and the character, prefering keeping their ideas rather than being Fifa's Doll like Pelé, saying always nice things and being political correct.
For me, he was a hero on the pitch and outside the pitch despite the fierce attacks from media, having his personnal life exposed many times and being severly treated by Fifa in his whole career.
He is the best, as simple as that.