Argentina’s junta blocked a Maradona move to Wearside

DIEGO Maradona was desperate to join Sunderland as a teenager, a new documentary about the Argentina legend reveals.

With the World Cup fast approaching, the History Channel is running a series of brilliant football documentaries - and their latest offering focuses on one of the sport’s most compelling characters.

So much has been said and written about Maradona but this show tracks him from his humble beginnings at Argentinos Juniors, whom he played for as a teenager.

It reveals the first offer he received to play from overseas was from Sunderland – and he was desperate to join the Wearsiders.

The transfer would have taken place had it not been for the ruling military dictatorship blocking the move, which was proposed when he was 17. Maradona’s biographer Daniel Arcucci – who wrote ‘Touched by God’ – reveals all in a documentary named ‘Bring me the Head of Maradona’ and available on demand now to Sky subscribers.

He says: “The first offer which Maradona received was from England’s Sunderland in 1977 and Maradona wanted to go.

“He said: ‘If they don’t sell me to Sunderland I am retiring.’

“At that time we did not have a democratic government and they declared him untransferable - one of a group of players who were untransferable.”

You can watch the documentary on the History Channel – along with some of their other offerings, which include shows about England’s Italia 90 World Cup run and France 98.