Diego Maradona

DiegoArmando Maradona (Spanish: DiegoArmando Mar adona) is an Argentine soccer player and coach.

Biography

Born on October 30, 1960 in the Argentine city of Lanus in the province of Buenos Aires, Maradona was the fifth child in a poor family, but the first boy.

Soccer appeared in Maradona's life at a very early age, however, like all children in Argentina. When young Diego went to school, the level of his game so impressed the coaches that he was immediately included in the junior team.

"Los Cebolitas" (Onions).

In 1969, a friend of Maradona introduced him to the scout of the team "Argentinos Juniors", who, having seen the level of play of the boy, was amazed by the talent and could not believe that he was only 9 years old.

Young Diego was invited to attend training sessions of the club's adult team, where he initially just served balls to the players. Later, Maradona and other young soccer players became the basis of the children's team "Argentinos Juniors", which was called "Los Cebolitas" ("Onions").

Already in their first games the team began to show impressive results, beating all local youth teams. The leader of the youth team was Maradona, who was noted for his mature decisions, praised for his ability to run the entire match and not fall after collisions. At the same time Diego was three years younger than the rest of the team.

The main game for "Los Cebolitas" was a confrontation against the youth of "River Plate" (then champions of Argentina), when the team staged a real rout with a score of 7:1. 10-year-old Maradona in that game scored five goals at once, and the team showed an incredible level of soccer. Even then, the media saw Maradona as a future soccer star. It is funny that not all journalists even knew his last name. Thus, the newspaper Clarín in its article called him Caradona.

Under Maradona "Los Cebolitas" did not know defeat for 136 matches.

For youth Argentinos Juniors, Maradona began playing at the age of 12. In this case, the coach of the team had to hide the age of the player, as it was below the minimum, and submit him in the application under a false name.

In 1973, Maradona played another impressive match when Argentinos defeated River Plate in the final of the Evita Cup. The match ended 5-4, with Maradona scoring a goal as he beat seven opponents.

A week after the match on Maradona's father came out the president of "River Plate", offering to buy the player, but he refused the deal.

A year later began the ascent of Maradona through the youth teams in the basis of Argentinos.

Maradona's career in Argentina

Debut for the main squad "Argentinos Juniors" happened on October 20, 1976, when Diego was not even 16 years old. Maradona played 10 minutes and, despite the fact that the team lost the match, he managed to impress everyone by arranging several spectacular passes and organized a dangerous moment at the gates of the club "Talleres".

The next game Maradona started in the base, but the match against "Newells Old Boys" was unsuccessful for both Maradona and the club. As a result - defeat 2:4. The following games Diego sent to play for the second team of the club. Returning to the base on November 14 and came on as a substitute in the match against San Lorenzo, Maradona showed what he is capable of, in a short time scoring two goals.

In 1977, after 12 games for Argentinos, Diego was called up to the Argentina national team for a friendly against Hungary. Maradona came on 20 minutes into the final and showed a faded game, leaving him dissatisfied with his level.

The following season at Argentinos confirmed the level of Maradona's talent. He played 49 matches and scored 19 goals.

The next achievement was to be a trip to the World Cup with the national team, but 13 days before the start of the tournament, the young player was excluded from the preliminary application.

Maradona himself later said that he was shocked by this decision and even called the head coach of the national team, begging to take him to the tournament.

"It was the hardest defeat of my life. To be in great shape, burning with desire to play for your team and to be out of contention - you can't survive that ... That day, the saddest day of my career, I vowed that I would take mine. With my legs, my heart, my mind, I felt that I would show them all. I will play in many more World Cups," he said later.

In the media, there were rumors that the coach of the national team simply did not like the explosive nature of Maradona.

The following year, Maradona became a real leader of the Argentinos and led the race of scorers of the championship, scoring 22 goals.

In 1979, Maradona with the youth team of Argentina reached the finals of the South American Championship, where he lost to the hosts of the tournament, the national team of Uruguay. In the same year, Diego as captain of the youth team won the Youth World Cup in Japan and was named the best player of the tournament. In the final Maradona helped Argentina beat the USSR national team, scoring a goal that reinforced the superiority of the national team.

Later Diego called this team the best in his career.

The following season in Argentina, Maradona again showed his level, scoring 26 goals. He was recognized as the best player and the best athlete in Argentina.

During his career in Argentina, Maradona became the top scorer of the country of Argentina 5 times.

However, the attitude to Maradona in the team was not as rosy as off the field. In particular, the club management demanded that he scored a lot and, at every opportunity, reminded the player that this is why he is paid his salary.

"Boca Juniors."

As a result, Maradona began looking for a new club. In an interview, he lied about being invited by Boca Juniors to refuse a move to River Plate. To Maradona's own surprise, Boca did begin negotiations for his transfer and bought the player for $3.6 million dollars. Maradona was promised a $600,000 bonus for his move to the club, but due to the club's financial problems, the player was given two apartments.

The contract with "Boca" allowed the player to change not only his life, but also his family, which moved to a new spacious house.

In 1980, Maradona played 10 games for the Argentine national team and scored 6 goals. That year he also made his only hat-trick in matches for the national team.

In the first match for Boca Juniors in 1981, Diego did a double, and his club defeated the opponents with a score of 4:1. Subsequently, the footballer for a month out of the game because of a rupture of muscle tissues of the thigh. But managed to recover in time to help the club in the "Superclasico" to beat eternal rivals from "River Plate". Diego scored one of the three goals and the team won 3-0.

Later on, Maradona had a conflict with the head coach of the club, who demanded discipline from the player. This did not prevent Boca from winning the Metropolitano tournament. However, the team failed in the Nacional tournament. The media attributed this to excessive fatigue of the players, who because of the difficult financial situation had to play a lot of friendly games.

In the national team Maradona showed good results, but missed several training sessions due to too tight schedule of games and was expelled from the team.

In total for "Boca" Maradona played 40 matches and scored 28 goals.

World Cup 1982

Argentina prepared for the 1982 Mundial for 4 months. Given the past results of both adult and youth teams, all of Argentina expected a miracle from his national team. Maradona scored twice in the first three matches, and the team scored 6 out of a possible 9 points.

The second round of the World Cup also consisted of a group stage, in which Argentina had to play Italy and Brazil. The national team lost both matches and finished the tournament.

The media noted that the opponents' defense personally and often too hard played against Maradona, "turning off" the star of the Argentine national team. Maradona, on the other hand, said that the preparation for the Championship was too intense and the players arrived at the tournament too tired.

Maradona's career in Europe

"Barcelona", Spain

In 1982, Maradona became a player of Barcelona of Catalonia. For the transition, Maradona personally received 3 million dollars and a salary of 200 thousand dollars a year. The transition itself cost "Barça" $ 8 million dollars and became the most expensive in the history of soccer at that time.

He was greeted as an established star, and Maradona reciprocated. For the first 15 matches of the championship, he scored 6 goals. However, in December Diego was diagnosed with hepatitis and for the next three months he was left without soccer.

Already in the second game after his return Maradona made a hat-trick against Las Palmas. Soon Diego also helped the club to win the Spanish League Cup, scoring a goal in each of the two games against Real Madrid. The goal at the Santiago Bernabeu was met with applause even from Real Madrid fans who appreciated the Argentine's graceful play.

The 1983/1984 season began for Maradona with an injury in a match against Athletic, when the opponent broke his ankle. As a result, the player was out for several months and returned to the field only in January 1984. In total that season, the Argentine played 23 matches and scored 15 goals.

In the Spanish Cup final, the club again played against Atletico, who became the Spanish champion, and lost 0:1.After the game Maradona had a fight with a player of the opposing team and was disqualified for 3 months.

At the same time, Diego was criticized for too high salary, as well as frequent visits to nightclubs. Against this background, the player had a conflict with the club president, which ended in a transfer to the Italian club Napoli.

For two seasons in "Barça" Maradona played 58 matches and scored 38 goals. In 1999, fans named Maradona among the three greatest players in the 100 years of the club's existence. Maradona himself later called the move to Barcelona a mistake.

"Napoli", Italy

Maradona's move cost the Italian club $7.6 million dollars, which was also a club record at the time. Diego himself received from the club 800 thousand dollars bonus.

Arriving at the airport Maradona was met by a crowd of fans who carried him in their arms to the city. Maradona was very happy to receive such a welcome and at the presentation he greeted the fans in Italian: "Good evening, people of Naples, I am happy to be with you".

Maradona scored his debut goal for Napoli in the second game, after which he took the ball from the goal and kissed it. Subsequently, Diego celebrated all his goals in exactly the same way. That season, Maradona scored 14 goals, but the club as a whole played poorly and for a while was even in the relegation zone, but before the end of the season leveled the game and took eighth place.

The next season the team strengthened the squad and managed to take third place. Maradona helped the club to beat Juventus at home, who lost only three times that season. Also that year, he scored one of his famous goals: Diego, tossing the ball in the air, shot from 40 meters and threw over the opponent's goalkeeper, who was far out of the gate.

The 1986 World Cup and the hand of God

At the 1986 World Cup Maradona went as captain of the national team and with full support from the coach, who despite protests, built the team around Diego and did not call to the World Cup many veterans. The only requirement for Maradona was perfect discipline. In exchange, the coach promised that it would be a championship named after Maradona and invented a new role for him - a player under the strikers.

Maradona spent his preparation for the Mundial at Rome's Institute of Sport under the guidance of Professor Antonio del Monte, who was a specialist in adapting athletes to high altitude.

During the preparation Maradona really devoted all of himself to soccer: he refused to party and even meetings with friends. He woke up at 8 am and lay down at 10 pm. Before going to bed, he went to each of his teammates and wished them a good night.

In the first game, Argentina easily defeated South Korea 3-1. In the next match Argentina played against the reigning World Champions - the Italians. Diego himself responded to the opponent's goal, scoring, as he later said, one of the best goals in his career. However, the match ended in a draw.

In the third game, Argentina defeated Bulgaria with a score of 2:0, and Maradona made a goal.

In the 1/8 finals, the team defeated Uruguay and went on to face England.

The match against the English was doubly important, because in 1982 England and Argentina fought a war over the Falkland Islands. The first fan clashes occurred before the game. But events on the pitch also led to brawls in the stands. In particular, we are talking about Maradona's goal, which opened the score in the match. In that moment, the English midfielder gave an awkward pass to his goalkeeper, whom Diego, being 20 centimeters lower, beat in a jump, scoring the ball into the goal with his left hand raised above his head. The referee did not notice the violation, and Maradona himself later said that "it was the hand of God". Further the English still managed to win back one goal, but lost 2:1.

Maradona for that game began to be called "Michelangelo of soccer", and Maradona's goal in 2002 was recognized as the best in the history of the World Cup and the goal of the century.

Much later, Maradona stated that the "hand of God" never existed. God did help us, but I scored that goal with my hand". He also apologized for that act.

In the semifinal against Belgium, Maradona scored two unanswered goals and became the best player of the match.

In the final, Argentina played against Germany. During the match Diego's team led in the score 2:0, but the Germans managed to save the game and equalize. However, Maradona's goal in the 85th minute of the game put an end to the confrontation, making Argentina world champion.

In the same year, Maradona received the "Golden Ball", which in 1989 was stolen from his home in Naples.

In 1986, the new president of the club "Milan" Silvio Berlusconi, impressed by the game Maradona, offered him a contract with a double increase in salary, a luxury car, an apartment in Milan and a share in his company, but Diego refused, re-signed a contract with "Napoli" with an increase in salary to 5 million dollars a year. The president of "Napoli" for signing the contract gave Maradona an exclusive car Ferrari F40.

That year, "Napoli", despite the sometimes inept game, managed to become the champion of Italy.

In the new season, the club brought in a new striker, Brazilian Careca, who together with Maradona and Italian Giordano formed the famous MaGiCa attacking trio (Maradona, Giordano and Careca).

Toward the end of the season, Diego was injured and the club missed out on the championship, finishing in second place. Maradona was the top scorer in the championship that year with 15 goals.

The 1988/1989 season was not too successful for Maradona due to a series of injuries. The club again took second place, and Maradona scored only 9 goals and 3 times distinguished himself in the UEFA Cup, won by the club. Things were better in the Italian Cup, where Diego became the top scorer with 7 goals, but Napoli lost the Cup final.

In the 1989/1990 season Maradona was again haunted by injuries, but he remained a vital part of the club and helped Napoli win their second championship in five years. Maradona also became a true mentor and friend to young striker Gianfranco Zola. Maradona scored 16 goals at the tournament.

In the same season, the club won the Italian Super Cup, defeating Juventus 5-1 in the final.

World Cup 1990

Argentina started the final tournament of the 1990 World Cup with a defeat in the game against Cameroon. The situation was corrected in the next game, when Argentina defeated the USSR national team. In that game, Maradona again played with his hand, knocking the ball off the goal line, but the referee did not notice the violation. The third game with Romania Argentina played in a draw 1:1.

The team came out of the group from the third place only due to the greater number of points compared to the other teams that took the third place in their groups.

The match against Brazil in the 1/8 finals was extremely difficult for both teams, and the victory of Argentina actually brought Maradona, who made a trademark pass, beat several opponents and in the fall gave a very accurate goal.

At the next stage, Argentina only managed to beat Yugoslavia in a penalty shootout.

In the semifinals, the Argentines played with the hosts of the tournament, the Italians, who won all matches at the tournament. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, and in a penalty shootout won the Argentines. The winning penalty was scored by Maradona.

In the final, Argentina lost to Germany 0-1 after a controversial penalty scored by the Germans. For the game at the mundial, Diego received the "Bronze Ball" as the third player of the World Cup.

Maradona later announced that he would stop playing for the national team.

Cocaine and disqualification

Napoli started the 1990/1991 season with a victory in the match for the Italian Super Cup. After that, Maradona played 24 more games and scored 10 goals. In March 1991, Maradona was selected among the players who must pass a doping test and the test showed the presence of cocaine in his body.

The Italian Football Federation disqualified Maradona for 15 months. The player's lawyers tried to challenge the decision, but the appeal committee upheld it.

Maradona said that his tests were faked and accused the president of the Italian Football Federation Antonio Mattarrese, who so avenged him for the defeat of the Italian national team at the World Cup in 1990. At the same time, Diego admitted that he took drugs, but independently conducted doping tests so that on the eve of the games his body was clean.

In April, Maradona returned to Argentina, where by the end of the month was arrested in his own home. He was found to be in possession of 36 grams of cocaine.

In September 1991, Maradona was sentenced in absentia in Italy to a 14-month suspended sentence for the cocaine found.

Maradona agreed to rehabilitation, during which time he participated in a variety of charity matches.

"Sevilla", Spain

On July 1, 1992, after completing his 15-month suspension, Maradona told Napoli that he wanted to leave Italy. He stated that he wanted to play for a club that did not set big goals for itself. Negotiations were going on about a move to Sevilla or Olympique Marseille. As a result, the Spaniards offered 7.5 million dollars for the transfer of the player and in September Maradona became their player.

In "Sevilla" player suffered from an old knee injury, but still was an important part of that team.

Later, after a serious conflict with the coach, the club management decided to refuse the services of the player. In total for "Sevilla" Argentine played 29 matches and scored 7 goals. The team finished that season in seventh place.

The end of his career and return to Argentina

In 1993, Maradona signed a contract with the club "Newells Old Boys". In one of the matches he suffered an injury, during the recovery from which the head coach was fired from the club, who called Maradona to the team. With the new coach relationship with Diego did not work out and in January 1994, the footballer played for the club last match, after which the contract with the club was terminated.

World Cup 1994

During the preparations for the 1994 World Cup Argentina played inexpressive, as a result of which the national team management asked Maradona to return to the national team. Diego in the two remaining matches helped the national team to qualify for the final tournament.

However, 18 years later, Diego said that the president of the Argentine Football Association Julio Grondona before the game gave the players a special coffee with doping, and also made sure that after the game was not conducted doping test.

During the final tournament, Argentina defeated Greece in a rout and Maradona scored his last World Cup goal. In the second game, Argentina defeated Nigeria 2-1. After the game, Maradona underwent a doping test that tested positive for 5 substances: ephedrine, norephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norpseudoephedrine and methylephedrine. The player was suspended for 15 months and the national team lost their two remaining matches.

Diego, commenting on the test results, said that the substances were in his flu medicine and nose drops, which he had bought in the United States from his personal physician, Daniel Serrini.

Upon learning of the disqualification, Maradona uttered the now famous phrase, "My legs have been cut off." In total, he played 91 matches in the national team shirt and scored 34 goals.

Career coach

Having received 15 months of disqualification, Maradona began to look for a job as a manager or coach. At his first club, Deportivo Mandia, he had a falling out with one of the club's owners, who insulted the players and beat him up. After that, not surprisingly, he resigned. Further Diego worked in "Rasinga" from Avellaneda, but stayed for only 4 months.

"Boca Juniors."

Next Maradona was able to negotiate a contract with "Boca Juniors", in which he wanted to work as a playing coach, but agreed to play under the current coach Silvio Marsolini, whom the management did not want to fire.

Despite the efforts of the Argentine, the club did not show good results. After a series of unsuccessful performances in the club changed both the president and the coach. In the next season, the game at Maradona again failed: he played 13 matches and scored only 2 goals.

In addition, he did not realize five consecutive 11-meter shots. After another bad match the player himself refused to play for the club.

In the summer of 1996, there were rumors that Diego will move to Japan, but the deal fell through, as the country's laws prohibit the entry of any person found in possession, use or transportation of narcotic drugs.

In 1996, Maradona traveled to Switzerland, where he wanted to undergo treatment for cocaine addiction. However, he spent only 10 days there, returning to Argentina.

In the fall of the same year, 500 grams of cocaine were found in Maradona's house.

Later, there were again rumors of interest in him soccer clubs, but the contract did not come.

In April 1997, Maradona was hospitalized because of very high blood pressure.

In the same month, the player signed a new contract with Boca Juniors. He played in an official game only in July, but immediately helped the team win. Before that, he hired a personal trainer famous track and field athlete Ben Johnson, to whom he paid a thousand dollars a day.

Later the footballer took a doping test, which tested positive for methylaecgonine and benzoylecgonine, metabolites of cocaine. Diego himself assured that he had not taken anything and provided evidence of threats from unknown people who promised to plant drugs on him. The judge, after hearing the arguments of Maradona and his lawyers, decided not to impose any sanctions against the footballer. However, demanded to take a doping test after every match.

In the fall of 1997, Maradona announced that finally leaves soccer. Already after he left soccer, he was still sanctioned for doping.

Searching for a coaching job

In 1998, Maradona held talks with English club Crystal Palace, as well as Spanish club Badajoz, intending to get a coaching job. The negotiations ended in nothing.

In December 1999, Maradona became an advisor to the Libyan national team, but refused to be its coach.

Drug problems

In early 2000, Maradona was admitted to the Cantegril Sanatorium after a party in the company of a drug dealer. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a hypertensive crisis and cardiac arrhythmia. Traces of cocaine were found in his blood and urine.

After leaving the clinic, he went to Cuba, where he underwent a course of treatment and rehabilitation.

In April 2004, Maradona was again hospitalized with a diagnosis of a heart attack. His heart problems were aggravated by his overweight and drug addiction. After being discharged from the hospital, he again underwent rehabilitation and detoxification.

After the hospital, Maradona gained a lot of weight, which by February 2005 amounted to 120 kg. However, thanks to surgery and a strict diet, Maradona lost more than 50 kg in a few months.

Return to soccer

From June 2005 to August 2006, Maradona served as vice president of the board of the club Boca Juniors, and also played in the veteran team Boca.

On March 17, 2007, Argentine media reported Maradona's death in a traffic accident, but later denied the information.

Alcohol problems

In 2007, Maradona, having quit drugs, began drinking heavily. In March, he was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of severe intoxication and remained there until almost mid-April. Two days after being discharged from the hospital, he relapsed and, after an examination, was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver.

He then spent two months in the Avril psychiatric hospital. At this time, rumors of his death reappeared in the media.

Coach of the national team of Argentina

In 2008, Maradona, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to coach the national team of Argentina, still got his chance and in November led the national team. In the first friendly matches, the team under his management defeated Scotland and France. The first official match also ended in success - the Argentines defeated Venezuela with a score of 4:0. But after that, the national team unexpectedly lost 1:6 to Bolivia.

Further the results of the team were again dismal and Maradona, stating the lack of motivation among the players, announced the decision to change the composition of the national team.

This helped the team to reach the World Cup in 2010. After the final qualifying match, Diego told his critics, "suck it up - it's me addressing them the way they addressed me."

For this prank FIFA disqualified Maradona for 2 months and fined him 25 thousand Swiss francs.

World Cup 2010

At the 2010 World Cup Maradona took a renewed and rejuvenated national team, excluding many veterans from the squad. In the group stage Argentina played with Nigeria, South Korea and Greece, winning all three matches with a total score of 7:1. The team's game was marked by attacking actions, but the defensive abilities of the players were highly criticized.

In 1/8 finals Argentina defeated Mexico with a score of 3:1.

But already in the 1/4 finals luck from Maradona's team turned away and the team was defeated by Germany with a score of 0:4. In Buenos Aires, despite the obvious fiasco of the national team, fans awarded the team applause, and Diego was asked not to leave the national team.

However, Maradona said that he would remain in charge of the team only if the entire coaching staff was left. As a result, Maradona left the national team, having failed to agree with the leadership of the federation.

After the national team

In the future, Maradona again looked for a job as a coach and offered his services to the Portuguese national team and English "Aston Villa". In September 2010, he also announced his readiness to return to the post of head coach of the national team and agreed to fire his assistants.

Only in May 2011, Diego took charge of the Emirati club Al Wasl. However, things were not going so well in the team. The coach demanded strengthening of the squad and complained that the players were too unprofessional.

In January 2012, Maradona was hospitalized with kidney stone disease and operated on.

In July 2012, Al Wasl management sacked the Argentine, who continued to complain about the available squad and was often involved in scandals.

In July 2013, Maradona underwent surgery to correct age-related presbyopia.

In 2017, Maradona took charge of Al Fujairah club, but left the team a year later after failing to take the team to the UAE first division.

On May 15 of the same year, Maradona became the head of the board of Brest Dynamo with a contract for three years. However, after one of the matches of the club, Diego flew away and never returned to Belarus.

In September, he took charge of the Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa, and also became the technical director of the club. The team showed positive soccer, but lost a crucial playoff match to qualify for the Liga MX, and Maradona almost got into a fight with rival fans who insulted him.

In January, he was hospitalized with bleeding in his stomach and underwent surgery.

The following season, the Dorados with Maradona again reached the playoff finals and again lost the promotion match. After that, Maradona stepped down as head coach.

In September 2019, Maradona became head coach of Argentine club Jimnasia y Esgrima, which was in last place in the championship at the time of his appointment. The stellar appointment immediately added fans to the club, but the game did not go well.

Toward the end of the season, the club was supposed to be relegated from the top division of the Argentine championship, but the season was halted due to the COVID-19 epidemic, and the Football Association lifted the relegation rule for two seasons. In June 2020, Maradona extended his contract with the club until December 2021.

Hospitalization and death

On November 3, 2020, Maradona was hospitalized. Initially, the doctor stated that the hospitalization was due to the need to restore the body's water balance. Later it became known that Maradona was operated after a brain hemorrhage due to a subdural hematoma and was discharged from the hospital on November 11.

On November 25, 2020, Maradona died due to sudden cardiac arrest. A three-day national mourning period was declared in Argentina.

Family

Maradona was married. With his first wife Claudia Villafañe, he lived for 25 years.

Despite his relationship with Claudia, Maradona had several affairs, including meetings with Argentine movie diva Adriana Brodsky and famous Italian film actresses Loredana Berthe and Heather Parisi. He was also credited with numerous infidelities in Italy, notably with Miss Fantastic Breasts pageant winner, Mimi, "Madame Butterfly" of Tokyo, with Brazilian ballerina Suzy, as well as several Italian women.

In 1987, Neapolitan Cristiana Sinagra claimed to the media that she had given birth to a son by Maradona. Maradona for many years did not recognize the boy and only in 2016 stated that it was his child and he loves him.

In April 1988, a daughter was born to Maradona and Claudia, who was named Dalma Nerea, in honor of Diego's mother.

On May 16, 1989, Maradona's second daughter was born, who was given the Italian name Giannina Dinora.

Maradona married Claudia on November 7, 1989, in Buenos Aires.

In 2003, Claudia filed for divorce, claiming that Diego had left home back in 1998. However, the couple remained on good terms despite the divorce.

After that, Maradona had other affairs.

Maradona's mother died on November 19, 2011 at the age of 82. He spent his last days before her death with her.

Maradona's father died on June 25, 2015 in Buenos Aires.