Diego Maradona

Born on: October 30, 1960

Born in: Villa Fiorito, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Nationality: Argentinean

Career: Football Player

 

Diego Maradano is a former Argentinean football player, who is world renowned for his performance and contribution to the sport. Apart from playing in four world cups, Maradona won the FIFA Player of the Century award, along with Pele. He was chosen for the same in 2000 via an internet poll conducted by the organization’s website. In the due course of his career, the player won many trophies and entertained football fans in the best possible manner. However, he was also part of many controversies and accused of taking cocaine and ephedrine. After a golden soccer career, the legendary player retired from the game in 1997 and has become a TV host in Argentina.

 

Diego Maradona was born as Diego Armando Maradona on October 30, 1960 in Villa Fiorito. It is a shantytown on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires in Argentina. He was born in a poor family that initially moved from Corrientes Province. He has three elder sisters and two younger brothers, Hugo (el Turco) and Eduardo (Lalo), both of whom were also professional football players.

 

Even at a small age, Maradona had the charm to capture hearts, with his skills at soccer. At the age of 11, he was spotted by a talent scout while he was playing in his neighborhood club Estrella Roja. In effect, he became a staple of Los Cebollitas (The Little Onions), the junior team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors. As a 12 year old, ball boy, he amazed spectators by showing his mastery with the ball, during the halftime intermissions of first division games.

 

Maradona made his debut in the world of football with Argentinos Juniors on October 20, 1976, just ten days before his sixteenth birthday. He played with them during 1976 - 1981. In the middle of 1981, he shifted to the club Boca Juniors and played under its flagship in 1982. Here, he received his first league winner’s medal. In the 1982 World Cup, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain, where he created a then world record £5m. In 1983, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey, Spain's annual national cup competition, beating Real Madrid.

 

Due to his frequent tiffs with Barcelona directors, he requested to be shifted to Nou Camp in 1984. While playing for Napoli, he once again scored another record of £6.9m. This made him a star amongst the club’s fans and positioned the team on a success trail. Following this, the team of Napoli won their only Italian Championships (1986/87 and 1989/1990), a Coppa Italia (1987), a UEFA Cup (1989) and an Italian Supercup (1990). However, in 1992 Maradona left Napoli, which was after serving a 15 month ban for failing a drug test for cocaine.

 

At the age of 16, Maradona plunged into international football with Argentina national football team. At the age of 18, he played the Football World Youth Championship for Argentina, becoming the star of the tournament, as they won over the USSR team. In the year 1982, Maradona played his first World Cup tournament. In 1986, he was the captain of the Argentina national team for the World cup and brought them to a commendable victory over West Germany.

However, the two goals he scored in 2 -1 quarter-final win against England sealed his status as a legend. The first goal was scored by striking the ball with his hands, which was though illegal, came to be known as ‘Hand of God.’ On the contrary, the second goal was the outcome of his dribbling skills. The goal was voted as the ‘Goal of the Century,’ in a poll conducted by FIFA in 2002. The two goals were even ranked 6^th in the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments by the UK's Channel 4 television channel.

 

Once again, Maradona captained the national team of Argentina in 1990 World Cup. Since he suffered an ankle injury, his overall performance in the event was affected. In effect, Argentina lost the final to West Germany. In 1994 World Cup, Maradona played only two games and scored one goal against Greece. After this, he was banned from the game as he failed a drug test for ephedrine doping. The Argentinean team was also expelled in the second round.

 

After returning from his ban, Maradona played for Sevilla FC, Newell's Old Boys and Boca Juniors. He even attempted to coach two short stints, leading Mandiyú of Corrientes (1994) and Racing Club (1995), but was not much successful. As a result, he retired from football on October 30, 1997, his 37th birthday. Following this, in the year 2000, Maradona published his autobiography, named, Yo Soy El Diego ("I am The Diego"). The book became an instant bestseller in his country.

 

In the same year, Maradona was also initially selected as the Player of the Century in a poll conducted by FIFA. However, the organization changed the procedure, appointing an expert committee, which voted the award to Pele. After much protest from Maradona, finally two awards were given, one to each of them. Subsequently, he was given many awards for his contribution to football. In 2005, Maradona appeared on small screen with a talk-variety show on Argentine television, La Noche del 10 ("The Night of the no. 10").

 

In September 2006, Maradona, donning his famous blue and white number 10, captained Argentina in a three-day World Cup of Indoor Football tournament in Spain. In the same year, Diego Maradona was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador of the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina against Malnutrition, IIMSAM. The award-winning Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica has even made a documentary on Maradona's life entitled ‘Maradona’.

Maradona married his long time fiancée, Claudia Villafane in November, 1989 in Buenos Aires. The couple decided to get married after the birth of their daughters, Dalma Nerea born in 1987 and Giannina Dinorah born in 1989. However, Maradona and Claudia divorced in 2004. Still, the family was seen together on a number of occasions such as Argentina matches during 2006 FIFA World Cup. During the time of his divorce proceedings, Maradona admitted that he was the father of Diego Sinagra, as claimed by latter's mother Cristiana Sinagra.

1979 - Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Argentine league Top Scorer, Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year, South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)

1980 - Argentine league Top Scorer, Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year

1981 - Argentine league Top Scorer, Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year

1986 - Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year, South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas), Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Year, Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA World Cup, World Player of the Year (World Soccer Magazine)

1986 - 1987 - Best Footballer in the World

1989 - South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)

1990 - South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)

1992 - South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)

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, "FIFA Goal of the Century"

2005 - Argentine Senate "Domingo Faustino Sarmiento" recognition for lifetime achievement: