Diego Maradona: The Hand of God

Diego Maradona, the flamboyant footballer who gained mass popularity during the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Argentina vs England’s quarter finals match, passed away last week. The Argentine footballer scored a goal in the match on 22^nd June’86 at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City which is why the player was named as “the hand of god” as the goal was made with the help of his hand. Ideally, the player should’ve received a yellow card for the same but instead the goal was considered which later led to the team’s victory in the match.

Maradona breathed his last on 25^th November’20, following a cardiac arrest at the age of 60. Despite of several scandals and controversies that he was involved in throughout his life, he was, without a doubt, a legend in football. A sport that helped him rise above the poverty that he initially grew up in.

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He belonged to a poor family in Villa Fiorto. His father was a factory worker while his mother was a housewife. Maradona was a natural when it came to football and at the age of eight, he joined the trials for Argentinos Juniors and made his professional debut at the age of fifteen. During his 5 years in the club, he scored over 115 goals in 166 matches. This helped him pull his family out of poverty.

Post his first World Cup performance, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona, however, after several unprofessional feuds with the players and staff, he was transferred to SSC Napoli after two brief years.

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In the year 1986, he led his club Napoli to win the Series A Italian Championships. Today, players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and many more are some of the gifted footballers among the football fraternity, but Diego Maradona remains to be a much respected legend who, evidently, cannot be replaced.