Career stats

SUCCESFULLY, SENSATIONAL, LUCKLESS!

By pibedeoro.com

Diego Armando Maradona was born on October 30th 1960 at 7.00 o'clock in the morning in the poor district of Villa Fiorito, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. He was the fifth of the eight children of Diego Maradona and Dalma Salvadora Franco. He began playing football when he was nine year old in Cebollitases, the juvenile team of Argentinos Jrs. Thanks to his unbelievable technical abilities people nicknamed him "Pibe de Oro" (Golden Boy).

He played for this team for about six years and when he was 16 he played for the first time in the major League with Argentinos Juniors, his first professional team. Four months later Diego played for the major National team at the age of 16. In 1978 the Argentinian trainer Menotti didn't convoke Maradona, as he considered him too young. Diego suffered a lot a lot for this unexpected exclusion and the Argentinian public opinion contested the trainer. In 1979 Maradona disputed and won the Juvenile World Cup, and in that demonstration he was recognized as the best player of the tournament. This was the first occasion for Diego to show himself to the world. His star was in continuous rise and many people started thinking that he was the heir of Pelè. In 1981 he played for one of the most famous Argentinian teams: the Boca Jrs.

In 1982 he played the World Cup in Spain. This was the first World Cup of Maradona and he was the most attended player. He played quite well and scored 2 goals, but in the most important games (against Brazil and Italy) Diego played badly and was also expelled for an ugly reaction fault. Argentina was eliminated in the second turn. In the same year Diego was engaged by the Spaniard team Barcellona, that paid for his transfer the record sum of 7 billion liras. Maradona remained two years in Spain and played only 36 games in the Spanish championship because he had a serious accident and a hepatitis. In 1984 after a long, difficult negotiation Naples Football Team succeeded in engaging Maradona, paying 13 billion liras to Barcellona. Once again he was the most expensive player in the world.

Maradona played seven years for Naples Football Team and recorded the name of the Neapolitan Team among the big names of the Italian football, succeeding in winning 2 championships, 1 Italian Cup, 1 Uefa Cup and 1 Italian Super Cup. The Neapolitan fans had with Diego a relationship based on affection and love, honouring him as a God. There is no other team with the privilege to have such a deep symbiosis with a football genius. Only the love of Boca Jrs fans can be compared to the one of the Neapolitan fans. In 1986 he played in Mexico his second World Cup.

Maradona arrived in perfect physical conditions and already at the eve declared that he would have been the star of the World Cup. And it was exactly so: Diego leaded Argentina to the victory, scored 5 goals, made 5 assists and was the best player of the demonstration. In the quarter finals against England he scored the famous goal named "The Hand of God" and after 5 minutes arrived the most beautiful goal in the history of football. Thanks to his unbelievable performance in the World Cup of 1986 and a gold year in the Italian League with Naples Football Team, Maradona was considered one of the greatest soccer players of every time, probably the best one.

In 1990, after winning the Italian League with Naples Football Team, he took part to the World Cup in Italy. Despite his injured ankle, Maradona nevertheless succeeded in gaining the final against Germany. The final of Mexico 1986 was repeated, but this time Germany won, thanks to a favorable arbitrage and to a doubtful penalty. Maradona said that the " mafia " won and that there was a plot against him. During his 7th year in Naples Diego asked the president Ferlaino to be transferred to Marseilles Football Club. He was tired of the too many pressures on him, of the death threats he received, of the too many journalists. Ferlaino decided not to sell him and for Diego remained only a possibility to leave Italy. In March 1991 Maradona was found positive to an ant doping control and this costed him a disqualification for 15 months. He left Italy and in 1992 started playing for Seville Football Team, where he remained almost one year.

In 1993 he was engaged by the Newell's Old Boys, but also this new experience ended after few weeks. In the 1994 Diego played the world Cup in America, he wanted to lead his team to the final victory and then retire from football. Maradona played only the games against Greece (where he scored a beautiful goal) and against Nigeria, because he was disqualified for using ephedrine, a substance which is not allowed by the FIFA. So the Competition "USA 94" lose its star, while once again appeared the hypothesis of a plot against Diego, who was suspended for one year. Argentina was playing very well with the captain, but as soon as Maradona was disqualified, the team lost and was immediately eliminated.

In October 1994 Diego was engaged as trainer by Deportivo Mandiyù Football Team, but his new experience ended after only 2 months. In 1995 he was the trainer of Racing Football Team, but resigned after 4 months. In the same year Maradona returned to play for Boca Jrs Football Team, and the fans organized a grandiose party at the Bombonera Stadium for the return of their idol. But on August 24th 1997 he was found positive to an ant doping control.

On October 30th 1997, the day of his 37th birthday, Diego announced that he definitely retired from football. In this way, after 20 years of " magics ", ended the career of Diego Armando Maradona.