Whatever the perception of Diego Maradona elsewhere in the world, in Argentina, all is forgiven. There, the child born into extreme poverty grew into a man of unimaginable fame and fortune. There, the man's raw sporting talent made cheering for him synonymous with patriotism for his country. There, the national hero dared to contest the injustice and oppression of inequality around him. And he did so with the pride and aplomb of an Argentine. In Argentina, Diego Maradona is an international icon and a national deity who unites his tired country as no other force has been able.

His story is like a fairytale. Born in the slums of Villa Fiorito just outside Buenos Aires, Maradona was the fifth of eight children familiar with a life of hunger and poverty. Yet at the age of fifteen he entered professional soccer and by sixteen was playing for the senior national team. From here, Maradona's career blossomed as he proved himself a player of unparalleled intensity and skill. More than a decade passed of dominating the pitch at home, abroad, and in infamous World Cup tournaments, proclaiming his super-human talent. At the same time, his brass but lucid comments behind the microphone reflected his expert but volatile antics behind the football. Maradona quickly became an internationally renowned player as much for his adroit footwork as for his unabashedly controversial character. In the early 1990's, Maradona began a battle with drug abuse that eventually ended his soccer career. Today, addiction continues to confine Maradona to rehab clinics rather than the soccer field.

Maradona has assumed mythic status for a number of reasons. First, he is arguably the best soccer player ever in a country where football has arguably a larger following than the Catholicism practiced by some 92% of the population. Second, he led the triumph in the 1986 World Cup over the English, redeeming an ancient soccer rivalry and the recent Falklands War. Third, he became a social banner and critic against the suffering of his country in a time when its very own politicians were unable to surmount self-defeating tendencies.

Fans are hard-pressed to find a soccer player who can rival Maradona’s skill. He was explosive on the pitch with unparalleled footwork and unprecedented ball control.

According to Uruguayan journalist Eduardo Galeano: "Maradona was a law unto himself when he got talking and even more so on the pitch. Nobody could predict what wizardry he would come up with next. Always original on the field, the man took great pleasure in defying the laws of physics. The things he could do with a ball just lit up the stadiums. In a world of frigid football, where winning is everything and enjoyment almost forbidden, Maradona was one of the few who proved that fantasy football could also get results."

From the 2002 FIFA World Cup official webpage:

The expressions “hand of God” and “goal of the century” are part of football folklore, and for most fans conjure up memories of one epic encounter. The year was 1986 and Argentina was taking on England in the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final. History was about to be made in a match that pitted opposing styles and mentalities against each other in the stifling heat of the legendary Aztec stadium in Mexico City. The game should first be placed in its historical context. The Falklands War (The Falklands, or Las Malvinas as they are known in Argentina, include 200 islands of the southern coast of Argentina. They have been claimed by Argentina since 1820, but have been occupied and administered by Britain since 1833. In 1982, amidst economic crisis and civil unrest, Argentina landed on the islands, and war was waged against Britain for 72 days, ending in Argentine defeat.) was still fresh in the collective memory, and footballing rivalry between the teams dated back to their stormy encounter at the 1966 FIFA World Cup™ in England. Ever since, for one reason or another, Argentina-England games had never failed to excite - and this one was to prove no exception to the rule. The English relied on a typical no-nonsense style in defense and a cutting-edge up front. The South Americans, meanwhile, compensated for their physical disadvantage with their usual faultless technique. The game already had all the makings of a classic, but the fact that it was taken to another level entirely can be put down to the genius of one man - Diego Maradona. Argentina had enjoyed an easy ride in the competition thus far, and took to the pitch in a confident mood. Led out by the best player in the world, Diego Maradona, they were determined to go all the way and win back the trophy they had first lifted on home soil in 1978. -http://2002.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/02/en/pf/h/cg/arg_eng_1986.html-

After a stalemated first half, each team sought a boost of momentum and an edge over the other. Argentina found this in Maradona. Arguably the greatest left-footed player ever, Maradona also proved useful with his left-hand.

"Hand of God" Video Clip: Click on Watch Video beneath the game footage. Under highlights, click Maradona (ARG) Goal 1.

Compiled from expertfootball.com and the BBC:

Unnoticed by the referees, it was ruled a goal. TV pictures clearly showed Argentina’s first goal went in off Maradona’s wrist, but the unapologetic Maradona credited the “hand of God.” Five minutes later, Maradona single-handedly took the ball through the entire English defense with a slalom from midfield right down to the goal.

"Goal of the Century" Video Clip: Click on Watch Video beneath the game footage. Under highlights, click Maradona (ARG) Goal 2.

"Goal of the Century" Voice Clip w/ Text: Click on El segundo a los ingleses at the bottom of the page.

The 1986 World Cup solidified Maradona’s place in history as a soccer great; he had single-(left)-handedly carried the Argentines to an English defeat and the World Cup. Argentina united and wept in joy. “I didn’t like it,” said England coach Bobby Robson, “but I had to admire it.” His second goal against the English has been coined the “goal of the century,” earning Maradona elite football status. Not surprisingly, Maradona’s first goal remains an unresolved point of contention among football fans. What does the player himself have to say about it?

After the match, when confronted with the video footage of the illegal goal, Maradona simply replied "Even if there was a hand, it must have been the hand of God."

"The goal I scored with my hand was much more enjoyable than the second, even if that was voted the best goal ever in the World Cup finals.”

"I was and always will be happy with my 'hand of God' goal against the English. I offer them a thousand apologies - that's the truth - but I'd do it again a thousand times."

Years later in his autobiography, he wrote: "What 'hand of God'? It was the hand of Diego.”

Maradona's football skills certainly earned him fame and fortune, as well as their vices. Hubris and a devil-may-care attitude soon soured his voice in the spotlight. He held little restraint in voicing opinions and little thought for their consequences.

From fifa.com:

The Pope, the Vatican, the US government's foreign policy, Argentina's ruling classes, Italian Silvio Berlusconi, AC Milan, Pele and even FIFA have all been in the player's firing line at one time or another. And inevitably, the Argentine people immediately make Maradona's causes and pet hates their own.

Pablo Alabarces, the respected Argentine sociologist, carried out a study on this phenomenon which he published in a book called Cuestión de Pelotas (A Question of Football). In it he said: "We see Maradona as fighting the third world's corner against inequality, injustice and the concentration of power and money in the hands of the few. He is seen as a Father Christmas-type figure, capable of making all our wishes come true."

In a country where political and social standards are sometimes noticeable in their absence, Diego Maradona became a spokesperson and a role model for the masses. He has spoken out against the ruling classes, often when it has been unpopular to do so. And at a time when Argentina was experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history, Maradona enabled the voices of his fellow Argentinians to be heard...He took on a social role, becoming a banner for the discriminated and downtrodden to follow. -http://www.fifa.com/en/news/feature/0,1451,102020,00.html-

Perhaps this is Maradona's true gift to his country. Beyond carrying a generation of lost Argentines through hunger, poverty, and state oppression, he earned his country an international voice. He was its revolutionary spokesperson. In doing so, not only did he salvage this one generation, but he also revitalized its offspring, gaining international attention for Argentina’s suffering and demanding a better future. Or maybe that is overstating his influence. Maybe Maradona's international legacy is sparse beyond the pitch. In his words, “My own little revolution is to defend the small people, not as a hero, not as some distant God, but just as a simple footballer.”

Truly, the many facets of Maradona’s life influenced many people, Argentine and otherwise. Unfortunately, Maradona suffered the negative influence of drug addiction. Cocaine threatened his football career until the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA where Maradona was infamously banned from playing for testing positive for ephedrine. This sadly ended his career, and repeated the established record for most games played in a World Cup (21) held by two other soccer players. Maradona notoriously blamed FIFA and Brazil for conspiring against his playing. In April 2004, a cocaine overdose suddenly hospitalized Maradona. Amidst the turmoil of his life-threatening overdose, Maradona received a web-logged letter from argentine Mirta Bertotti. It captures his life in a way that only a mother can.

Weblog de una Mujer Gorda: en espanol

Weblog de una Mujer Gorda: in English

Clearly, whatever Maradona’s perception elsewhere in the world, in Argentina, all is forgiven.

"I tried to find happiness playing football, and through it I tried to bring happiness to others. Football is the most beautiful game in the world. Yes, I made mistakes and I paid the price, but you can never tarnish football." –Maradona

 

 

 

Weblinks

Great Links! Diego Maradona Official Website Check out the Multimedia and Culture pages! Diego Maradona Unofficial Website Video, Audio, Photos, Music, Poetry…!	The Great Pele-Maradona Debate Player of the Century? Diego Maradona walked out of a FIFA awards ceremony on Monday before his great rival Pele got up on stage to receive recognition as one of the two greatest players of the 20th century. (Internet) Player of the Century? The debate continues...
Others FIFA.com dSports Illustrated.com Expert Football.com	More on Pele Time 100 Pele makes Time Magazine's 100 Most Important People of the Century
Bibliography

 

 

 

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