Diego Maradona celebrates on the shoulders of his team mates after they had beaten Russia to win the FIFA World Youth Championships at the National Olympic Stadium on September 7, in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1980
London, Wembley HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
Diego Maradona (left) and English player Ray Kennedy look on during an International friendly match at Wembley Stadium on May 13 in London. Photo by Duncan Raban/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1982
C. d'Arístides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Diego Maradona (center) takes on the Belguim defence during the FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Belguim at the Nou Camp stadium on June 13 in Barcelona. Photo by Steve Powell/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1982
Spain
Diego Maradona with Belgium defenders during the match in the Wold Cup in Spain. Photo by Steve Powell/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1982
Diego Maradona in action during the FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Brazil. Photo by Mark Leech/Offside.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1985
Calle José Díaz s/n, Cercado de Lima 15046, Peru
Diego Maradona in action during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Peru at the National Stadium on June 23 in Lima. Photo by David Cannon/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1986
Calz. de Tlalpan 3465, Sta. Úrsula Coapa, Coyoacán, 04650 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Diego Maradona celebrates after scoring the second goal against England during a World Cup Quarter-Final match held at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City on June 22. Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1986
Turin, Italy
Napoli captain Diego Maradona (right) leaves the field with Juventus player Antonio Cabrini after the Serie A match between the sides on March 9 in Turin, Italy. Photo by David Cannon/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1989
Cagliari, Italy
Diego Maradona at the International Football Friendly Match, Italy vs Argentina, on December 21, in Cagliari. Photo by Mark Leech/Offside.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1989
S.S.C Napoli player Diego Maradona controlls the ball during a Seria A match. Photo by Dan Smith/Allsport/Hulton Archive.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1990
Diego Maradona during a round of 16 match of the FIFA World Cup against Brazil. Photo by RENARD eric/Corbis.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
1990
Naples, Italy
Napoli player Diego Maradona (left) challenges Carlo Ancelotti of AC Milan during an Italian League match on October 21 in Naples, Italy. Photo by Simon Bruty/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
2010
Fritz Sonnenberg Rd, Green Point, Cape Town, 8051, South Africa
Diego Maradona, head coach of Argentina, gestures in frustration on the touchline during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Quarter Final match between Argentina and Germany at Cape Town Stadium on July 3 in Cape Town. Photo by Chris McGrath.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
2010
Soccer City Ave, Nasrec, Johannesburg, 2147, South Africa
Diego Maradona, head coach of Argentina, talks with Lionel Messi as they celebrate victory after the FIFA World Cup South Africa Group B match with South Korea at Soccer City Stadium on June 17 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Cameron Spencer.
Diego Maradona, as coach of Dorados de Sinaloa, celebrates after winning the 11th round match between Zacatepec and Dorados as part of the Torneo Apertura Ascenso MX at Agustin 'Coruco Diaz Stadium on October 6 in Zacatepec, Mexico. Photo by Hector Vivas.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
2019
Av. Int. Morcillo 2501-2699, S2000 Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Diego Maradona, a coach of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, looks on to him during a match with Newell's Old Boys at Marcelo Bielsa Stadium on October 29 in Rosario, Argentina. Photo by Luciano Bisbal.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
2019
Av. 60, B1904 La Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diego Maradona greets the fans during his presentation as new coach of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata at Juan Carmelo Zerillo stadium on September 8 in La Plata, Argentina. Photo by Marcelo Endelli.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
2020
Av. 60, B1904 La Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diego Maradona, head coach of Club Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, gestures to supporters during a match between Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Atletico Tucuman as part of Superliga 2019/2020 at Estadio Juan Carlos Zerillo on February 29 in La Plata, Argentina. Photo by Marcos Brindicci.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona
Gallery of Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona in action, about 1985. Photo by Steve Powell/Allsport.
Gallery of Diego Maradona
Piazzale Vincenzo Tecchio, 80125 Napoli NA, Italy
Napoli SSC player Diego Maradona (right) celebrates a goal during an Italian League match between Napoli SSC and AC Milan at San Paolo Stadium in Naples, Italy. Photo by David Cannon.
Achievements
Membership
Awards
Guerin d'Oro
1985
Diego Maradona received the Guerin d'Oro from the Italian football magazine Guerin Sportivo as the best player in Serie A 1984-1985. Photo by Matteo Marani.
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball
1986
Calz. de Tlalpan 3465, Sta. Úrsula Coapa, Coyoacán, 04650 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Diego Maradona lifts the trophy and celebrates winning the FIFA World Cup final on June 29 against West Germany (present-day Germany) at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Photo by Mike King.
Diego Maradona celebrates on the shoulders of his team mates after they had beaten Russia to win the FIFA World Youth Championships at the National Olympic Stadium on September 7, in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Allsport.
Diego Maradona (left) and English player Ray Kennedy look on during an International friendly match at Wembley Stadium on May 13 in London. Photo by Duncan Raban/Allsport.
C. d'Arístides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Diego Maradona (center) takes on the Belguim defence during the FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Belguim at the Nou Camp stadium on June 13 in Barcelona. Photo by Steve Powell/Allsport.
Diego Maradona in action during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Peru at the National Stadium on June 23 in Lima. Photo by David Cannon/Allsport.
Diego Maradona received the Guerin d'Oro from the Italian football magazine Guerin Sportivo as the best player in Serie A 1984-1985. Photo by Matteo Marani.
Calz. de Tlalpan 3465, Sta. Úrsula Coapa, Coyoacán, 04650 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Diego Maradona celebrates after scoring the second goal against England during a World Cup Quarter-Final match held at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City on June 22. Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography.
Calz. de Tlalpan 3465, Sta. Úrsula Coapa, Coyoacán, 04650 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Diego Maradona lifts the trophy and celebrates winning the FIFA World Cup final on June 29 against West Germany (present-day Germany) at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Photo by Mike King.
Napoli captain Diego Maradona (right) leaves the field with Juventus player Antonio Cabrini after the Serie A match between the sides on March 9 in Turin, Italy. Photo by David Cannon/Allsport.
Napoli player Diego Maradona (left) challenges Carlo Ancelotti of AC Milan during an Italian League match on October 21 in Naples, Italy. Photo by Simon Bruty/Allsport.
Fritz Sonnenberg Rd, Green Point, Cape Town, 8051, South Africa
Diego Maradona, head coach of Argentina, gestures in frustration on the touchline during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Quarter Final match between Argentina and Germany at Cape Town Stadium on July 3 in Cape Town. Photo by Chris McGrath.
Soccer City Ave, Nasrec, Johannesburg, 2147, South Africa
Diego Maradona, head coach of Argentina, talks with Lionel Messi as they celebrate victory after the FIFA World Cup South Africa Group B match with South Korea at Soccer City Stadium on June 17 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Cameron Spencer.
Diego Maradona, as coach of Dorados de Sinaloa, celebrates after winning the 11th round match between Zacatepec and Dorados as part of the Torneo Apertura Ascenso MX at Agustin 'Coruco Diaz Stadium on October 6 in Zacatepec, Mexico. Photo by Hector Vivas.
Av. Int. Morcillo 2501-2699, S2000 Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Diego Maradona, a coach of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, looks on to him during a match with Newell's Old Boys at Marcelo Bielsa Stadium on October 29 in Rosario, Argentina. Photo by Luciano Bisbal.
Av. 60, B1904 La Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diego Maradona greets the fans during his presentation as new coach of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata at Juan Carmelo Zerillo stadium on September 8 in La Plata, Argentina. Photo by Marcelo Endelli.
Av. 60, B1904 La Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diego Maradona, head coach of Club Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, gestures to supporters during a match between Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Atletico Tucuman as part of Superliga 2019/2020 at Estadio Juan Carlos Zerillo on February 29 in La Plata, Argentina. Photo by Marcos Brindicci.
Napoli SSC player Diego Maradona (right) celebrates a goal during an Italian League match between Napoli SSC and AC Milan at San Paolo Stadium in Naples, Italy. Photo by David Cannon.
Connections
Brother: Hugo Maradona
2010
Greenacres, Florida, United States
Hugo Maradona, Diego Maradona's younger brother
Brother: Raúl Maradona
Raúl Maradona, Diego Maradona's younger brother
ex-wife: Claudia Villafañe
Claudia Villafañe, Diego Maradona's ex-wife
Daughter: Dalma Maradona
Dalma Maradona, Diego Maradona's daughter
Daughter: Gianinna Dinorah Maradona
Diego Maradona's daughter, Gianinna Dinorah Maradona, with her then husband, Sergio Agüero, an Argentine professional footballer, and their son, Benjamin Aguero Maradona
Touched by God: How We Won the Mexico '86 World Cup
(The story of the most remarkable – and controversial – Wo...)
The story of the most remarkable – and controversial – World Cup triumph in history, told in a long-awaited firsthand account from Diego Maradona, its most legendary player.
Diego Maradona, in full Diego Armando Maradona, was a former Argentine footballer and current coach of Argentine Primera División club Gimnasia de La Plata. One of the stars of the 1980s, he went down in the history of the game as a legendary player due to his ability to control the ball and create scoring opportunities for himself and others. He played an important part in the victory of the 1986 World Cup by the Argentine national team.
Background
Ethnicity:
Maradona's father was of Italian and Native American origin and his mother was of Croatian origin.
Diego Maradona was born on October 30, 1960, in Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was a son of Diego Maradona "Chitoro," a bricklayer and factory worker, and Dalma Salvadora Franco "Doña Tota." Maradona had two younger brothers, Hugo (el Turco) and Raúl (Lalo), and five sisters.
Education
Diego Maradona was raised in a poor but tight-knit family. From his childhood spent in the slums of Villa Fiorito, a small city to the south of central Buenos Aires, he dreamed of becoming a great footballer. Maradona was gifted his first ball at the age of three by his cousin, Beto Zarate. Since then, he devoted himself to the game with a passion.
By 1968, Diego Maradona was admitted to the club Estrella Roja where his incredible talent came to the attention of Francis Cornejo, coach of the Cebollitas or Little Onions, the youth team of Argentinos Juniors. Maradona applied his skills to lead the team to a 136-game winning streak. In 1972, the Cebollitas took part in a junior championship.
Career
The start of Diego Maradona's career as a professional football player can be counted from October 20, 1976 when he debuted as a member of the Argentinos Juniors team in the match against Talleres de Córdoba. Before the end of the first season, the team became Maradona's team, and the stadiums were always full. The Argentinos Juniors were winning against the best teams. Maradona's international debut in 1977, when he played in a match against Hungary, was followed by his first disappointment when he wasn't admitted to the World Cup championship by coach Cesar Menotti.
In 1982, Maradona was transferred to Barcelona for $7.7 million. With the help of the footballer, the team soon received the Spanish League title. The talent that Maradona demonstrated on the field soon became the object of much venom from other players. Hoping to take him out of play, the rivals kicked at his ankles or knees, and succeeded once in 1983 by dislocating his ankle.
The following year, Diego Maradona's contract was purchased by Naples, in the Italian League, for a record $12 million. However, the sportsman remained true to his native country at the major international football competitions, and, as the captain of the Argentine national team, led it to the victory at the 1986 World Cup contest. During the legendary final match against West Germany (present-day Germany), Maradona scored what would come to be known as the "hand of God" goal in the annals of soccer. It is regarded as the pinnacle of his career.
While Maradona's name became well known after the World Cup win for Argentina, the footballer soon proved his value to Naples as well. The team headed the Italian League twice, in 1987 and 1990, the first two titles since its foundation in 1926. In 1989, the Naples team won European Soccer Union Cup competition. A year later, Diego Maradona again represented Argentina in the World Cup competition. Though he missed penalty kicks in the semi-finals he should not have missed, the team won 3-2 over Yugoslavia (disintegrated in 1992).
The stories of drug use and illegal gambling badly impacted Maradonna's career in 1991. He was even supposed to be associated with the Neapolitan camorra, or organized-crime syndicate. The sportsman was banned from football following a March 17 test, which showed traces of cocaine. After his suspension, he first followed a drug treatment program voluntarily, but dropped it down when faced with a $35,000 fee for the service. As he gained weight and grew sloppy in his training habits, Italian sportswriters enjoyed poking fun at him.
Diego Maradona was released from his contract with Naples in 1992, and played for Seville in the Spanish League for a while. He came back to Argentina in 1993 and joined Newell's Old Boys for one year. In 1994, during his fourth World Cup competition, Diego Maradona was again tested positive for five types of a banned stimulant, ephedrine. He was immediately forced off the Argentine team. It should be noted, however, that the drug had been prescribed by his doctor for allergies and that's why some of Maradona's supporters supposed a fraud.
The 15-month suspension followed and Maradonna tried himself as a coach. After training Deportivo Mandiyu for two months, and then Racing Club de Avellaneda, the footballer stopped his unsuccessful attempts in the area by April 1995. Later, in June, he was offered a two-and-a-half year contract by the Boca Juniors.
Maradonna's comeback within the team was in October of that same year, in the match against South Korea at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul. The sportsman was easily topped by his younger team-mates. After another match of the team, with Colon de Santa Fe, Maradona was randomly chosen to undergo another drug test. Tested positive for cocaine, he was suspended for a third time.
Diego Maradona came back to the field as the member of the Boca Juniors in July 1997. During the match, he left the pitch twice because of health problems. On October of that same year, Maradona announced his retirement from the sport, stating that he was forced to do so in order to protect himself and his family from increasing fake charges in drug abuse against him.
In 2008, Diego Maradona was assigned head coach of the Argentine national team. He led the team to the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup where Argentina was beaten by Germany with 4:0, despite the captainship of an extremely talented Lionel Messi. That same year, Maradona's contract with the team ended.
From 2011 to 2012, Maradona coached the United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl. Six years later, in May, he signed a contract with the Belarusian club Dynamo Brest to be its new chairman. The collaboration ended the following year. Maradona worked for several other clubs before serving as a coach of a Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa from September 2018 to June 2019. On September 5, 2019, he took the post of the coach of Argentine Primera División (First Division) club Gimnasia de La Plata and served in that capacity till his death in November a year later.
(The extraordinary story of a footballing genius told in h...)
2000
Religion
Diego was a devout Roman Catholic.
Politics
Diego Maradona first supported neoliberal Argentine President Carlos Menem and his economist Domingo Cavallo, and then turned his attention toward left wing policies. He got acquainted with Fidel Castro and expressed sympathy to Che Guevara as well. Maradona even tattooed Castro's portrait on his left leg and Che Guevara's on his right arm. He spoke out positively for former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez as well.
Maradona expressed his opposition to imperialism at the 2005 Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina, wearing a T-shirt with the text "STOP BUSH." Later, the sportsman stated that he hated everything related to the United States.
Views
Quotations:
"I'm alive and I want to keep living."
"When you win, you don't get carried away. But if you go step by step, with confidence, you can go far."
"I am Maradona, who makes goals, who makes mistakes. I can take it all, I have shoulders big enough to fight with everybody."
"When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success."
"The Lord helps those who help themselves."
"To see the ball, to run after it, makes me the happiest man in the world."
"My mother thinks I am the best. And I was raised to always believe what my mother tells me."
"Things are neither clear nor clean in the world of football right now and many people recognize this reality."
"Money is not a motivating factor. I do what comes to me at that moment."
Personality
Revealed in the early 1990s, Diego Maradona's drug addiction and his love for carousing drawn media attention and began to have a negative impact on his life and career. Maradona was suspended from international play from March 17, 1991 to July 1, 1992 because of the test which had showed traces of cocaine in his blood. The sportsman didn't follow training schedule and gained 20 pounds during this time.
Maradona had troubles because of drugs and illegal gambling throughout his further life. On February 2, 1994, he fired a pellet gun at reporters who camped outside his home in Buenos Aires. He was also charged with an alleged assault on a photographer. He was being tried in absentia on Italian drug charges. That same year, he was again suspended from game after being tested positive for ephedrine, a banned stimulant. The third suspension came a year later, in Buenos Aires.
Physical Characteristics:
Diego Maradona was 1.65 meters tall.
He was distinguished by his speed and slippery approach in play since his youth. He managed to miraculously avoid rival players and hold the ball for yards as he ran down the field. Once near the goal, he could easily fake out the goaltender and put the ball in the net.
Diego Maradona's cocaine addiction led to heart problems in January 2000. He underwent treatment for the next four years, including drug rehabilitation and a gastric-bypass surgery.
Quotes from others about the person
Rick Telander, sports columnist: "For some veteran observers, Maradona is a symbol of all that has gone wrong with the sport of soccer. He is aloof and mercenary, whereas most great former players were supposedly kind, grateful and dedicated beyond the limits of monetary reward."
Francisco Cornejo, youth football coach who discovered Maradona when he was eight years old: "When Diego came to Argentinos Juniors for trials, I was really struck by his talent and couldn't believe he was only eight years old. In fact, we asked him for his ID card so we could check it, but he told us he didn't have it on him. We were sure he was having us on because, although he had the physique of a child, he played like an adult. When we discovered he'd been telling us the truth, we decided to devote ourselves purely to him."
Lobo Carrasco, former football winger and manager: "He had complete mastery of the ball. When Maradona ran with the ball or dribbled through the defence, he seemed to have the ball tied to his boots. I remember our early training sessions with him: the rest of the team were so amazed that they just stood and watched him. We all thought ourselves privileged to be witnesses of his genius."
Sepp Blatter, the eighth President of the FIFA: "Everyone has an opinion on Diego Armando Maradona, and that's been the case since his playing days. My most vivid recollection is of this incredibly gifted kid at the second FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan in 1979. He left everyone open-mouthed every time he got on the ball."
Fidel Castro, Cuban revolutionary and politician: "Diego is a great friend and very noble, too. There's also no question he's a wonderful athlete and has maintained a friendship with Cuba to no material gain of his own."
Emir Kusturica, movie director: "I asked myself, 'Who is this man? Who is this footballing magician, this Sex Pistol of international football, this cocaine victim who kicked the habit, looked like Falstaff and was as weak as spaghetti?' If Andy Warhol had still been alive, he would have definitely put Maradona alongside Marilyn Monroe and Mao Tse-tung. I'm convinced that if he hadn't been a footballer, he'd've become a revolutionary."
Interests
Politicians
Fidel Castro, Ernesto "Che" Guevara
Athletes
Rivellino, George Best
Connections
Diego Maradona was married to his childhood sweetheart, Claudia Villafañe, from 1984 to 2004. The family produced two daughters, Dalma Nerea and Gianinna Dinorah.
Maradona had also a son Diego born after a romantic affair with Cristiana Sinagra, a woman from Naples, Italy, and a son Diego Fernando Maradona Ojeda with Veronica Ojeda. Diego Sinagra followed in his father's footsteps and became a footballer. Dalma Nerea took up a career of an actress.
Maradona: Once Upon a Time in Naples
A book by John Ludden which served as the basis for the Diego Maradona movie directed by the Oscar winning Asif Kapadia and produced by Paul Martin and James Gay Rees.