Diego Maradona Footballer
THE FOOTBALLER Diego Armando Maradona, who has died at 60, was loathed by a nation for the ‘‘ Hand of God’’ in Mexico City but adored by the world for his moment of genius just four minutes later.
The combustible Argentinian, a passionate, indomitable personality, a man so drastically different in his world view from Brazil’s beloved Pele, was an unstoppable force on his course to reaching the very top of the game. But, after winning the World Cup in 1986, his fall from grace was swift, bizarre and, like the man himself, totally unpredictable.
Born on October 30, 1960, the son of a boatman from Villa Fiorito, Buenos Aires, he kicked off his prolific career with Argentinos Juniors’ youth team, Los Cebollitas.
He soon started planning what would be his immortalising performance at the Azteca, in the 1986 World Cup quarter- final win over England.
In his autobiography Maradona gloated about first getting away with the ‘‘ Hand of God’’ as far back as the early 1970s. “You’re trying to reach the ball and the hand moves independently,” he wrote .
He tried over and over to pull off what would become his famous second goal: with Argentinos, then at Boca Juniors after manipulating their city rivals River Plate to get a better deal at La Bombonera, and then repeatedly with Argentina.
At 25, he was the Argentina captain after replacing Daniel Passarella. Maradona inspired the team to wins over South Korea, Bulgaria and Uruguay to set up a clash against England, with the recent bloodshed of the Falklands War adding an extra layer of tension.
In the 51st minute Steve Hodge’s poor attempt to deny Jorge Valdano saw the ball loop up to Maradona, who used his left fist to send it beyond the 6ft 1in Peter Shilton, finding the open goal.
No one could argue with the genius of the winner. Gary Lineker, who scored England’s consolation in that quarter- final defeat, called it “the best goal ever”.
Maradona would captain Argentina to another World Cup final in 1990, but injuries hampered his own performances and he wept on television after West Germany deposed his countrymen in Rome.
Down the road in Naples he was already a working- class hero, the firebrand who had transformed an average second- division Napoli side into the two- time champions of Italy by 1990.
But Maradona’s personal demons – a cocaine problem, tax issues and alleged ties to crime syndicates – saw him tumble into disgrace and he was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup after a positive drugs test, his international career ending after 91 caps and 34 goals.
As Argentina coach in 2008, he led the nation to the quarter- finals of the World Cup in South Africa.