MARADONA EMBRACED GLORY AND CONTROVERSY IN EQUAL MEASURE ON AND OFF THE FIELD HIGHS
As their inspirational captain, he went to the tournament in Mexico as the world’s best player, and he scored five goals and set up another five that paved the way for a final victory against West Germany.
Scored what is widely acclaimed as the greatest goal ever against England in the quarter- finals in the same game as his ‘ Hand of God’ opener. It began inside his own half and ended with him sliding the ball past Peter Shilton. It was voted Goal of the Century in a FIFA poll in 2002.
He made his professional debut for Argentinos Juniors at 15 and earned his first Argentina cap aged 16 years and 120 days.
Napoli pulled off a coup to sign him for a then world- record £ 6.9million fee in 1984. He inspired the club to Serie A success in 1987 and 1990 as well as the UEFA Cup in 1989.
FIFA decided to create an honour for the best player of the past 100 years at the turn of the century. It ended up being a joint award, with organisers unable to separate Pele, the three- time World Cup winner with Brazil, and Maradona.
For some, Maradona’s World Cup success will forever be tainted by controversy. The first of his two goals in the quarter- final against England was pushed in with his hand as he challenged Shilton for an aerial ball. He admitted what he had done after the game by describing the goal as from “the hand of God”.
Captained Argentina again in Italy but hopes of a repeat success ended in tears as West Germany avenged their loss of four years previously in an ill- tempered final.
He was banned for 15 months after testing positive for cocaine at Napoli in 1991 and was sent home from the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for another banned substance. He was given a suspended jail sentence in 1998 after shooting at journalists and had a tax dispute with the Italian government.
EXIT AT 2010 WORLD CUP
Maradona managed Argentina in South Africa but their run ended in a 4- 0 loss to Germany in the quarter- finals.
Maradona attracted plenty of attention in the stands at Russia 2018, where his manic goal celebrations and other antics highlighted his decline.