B y God, he’s 60
HAPPY birthday, Maradona! The football legend and Hand of God villain turns 60 on Friday.
In his colourful life, the Argentinian has battled drugs, broken records and scored the most infamous goal in World Cup history – well, from England’s point of view anyway!
So ahead of his milestone, NADINE LINGE reveals 12 things you never knew about El Diego…
Born in a Buenos Aires slum, the 5ft 5ins midfielder was the first player in football history to set the world record transfer fee twice – to Barcelona for £ 5million in 1982 and then to Napoli for £ 6.9m in 1984. Maradona holds the record for suffering the greatest number of fouls in a World Cup – 53 during Mexico 1986 – as well the highest number of fouls suffered during one World Cup game – 23 against Italy in 1982.
The former footballer started using cocaine when he played for Barcelona in 1983 and he was hooked on the drug until 2004. He once said: “I was, I am and I will always be a drug addict.”
Maradona was obese from the end of his playing career until having a gastric bypass operation in 2005. At one point he weighed upwards of 20st.
He has a tattoo of Che Guevara on his arm and an inking of fellow revolutionary Fidel Castro on his left leg. He also said Cuban leader Castro used to call him in the middle of the night for chats about politics. Maradona once received suspended sentence for shooting journalists with an air rifle. The 1994 incident saw him crouch behind a his Mercedes and fire at photographers and reporters, injuring four. There is a Church of Maradona, founded in 1998. The date is marked by his birthday so Friday will be 60 DD ( despues de Diego/ after Diego) and one commandment instructs followers to “spread the news of Diego’s miracles throughout the universe”.
The star had a 2005 chat show in Argentina. His first guest was footballer Pele, despite their intense rivalry over who was the greatest.
But Maradona refused to go to the 2006 World Cup opening ceremony, saying: “I’m not here to look at bloody Pele walking around.”
During the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Argentina lost 6- 1 to Bolivia with him as manager. Facing criticism, he told naysayers to
GOOD & BAD: Above Above, with Pele and being arrested for cocaine use in 1991
“suck it” and “keep on sucking it”. But ever the gent, he added: “I’m very sorry ladies for my words.” Maradona is not sure how many children he has. In an interview, he once said: “My legitimate kids are Dalma and Giannina. The rest are a product of my money and mistakes.”
The Argentinian also some frank opinions fellow footballing figures…
On Cristiano Ronaldo: “Cristiano scores a goal and poses like he’s in a shampoo commercial.”
On Pele: “Pele should go back to the museum and stay there.”
On David Beckham: “There are hundreds of Beckhams playing football all over the world.”
On the notorious goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter final: “The goal was scored a little bit by the hand of God, a little by the head of Maradona.” has on