10 incredible moments from the life & career of Diego Maradona
25 November marks the anniversary of Diego Maradona’s death at the age of just 60 in 2020.
The Argentine legend was one of football’s great characters on and off the pitch and will forever be remember as one of its best ever players.
These are 10 memorable moments from throughout his life and career…
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Remembering 10 ?????????? moments from the ?????? number 10, a year on from his death… pic.twitter.com/9ujF2o7zbx
— 90min (@90min_Football) November 25, 2021
Maradona was only 15 when he made his senior debut for Argentinos Juniors in the Primera Division, the league’s youngest ever player at that time. Within a few minutes he had nutmegged Talleres’ Juan Domingo Cabrera.
In 1981, Maradona swapped Argentinos Juniors for Boca Juniors, the club he dreamed of playing for growing up. Later that year, he won the Primera Division in the Metropolitano half of the season.
Having landed in Spain to play for Argentina at the 1982 World Cup, Maradona also took the time to sign for Barcelona in a world record transfer worth the equivalent of £5m.
Maradona’s most infamous goal needs little introduction. The ‘Hand of God’ helped knock England out of the 1986 World Cup, in tandem with a stunning solo goal later in the same game.
Having missed out on selection for the 1978 World Cup on home soil, Maradona got his hands on the trophy eight years later as Argentina beat West Germany in a thrilling 3-2 final in Mexico City.
In his third season at Napoli, having become the most expensive player in the world for the second time, Maradona inspired the club to the Serie A title – only the second team ever from outside Rome or Italy’s wealthy north to do so. They also won the Coppa Italia for a domestic double.
Maradona played in his second World Cup final in 1990. In the previous round he had scored the winning penalty in a shootout against hosts Italy in his adopted home of Napoli.
Maradona’s final appearance in a World Cup, as well as his last ever appearance for Argentina, came in a famous game against Greece in 1994. He scored a famous goal and celebrated wide-eyed in front of television cameras, before failing a drug test and getting sent home.
After overcoming serious health problems in the early 2000s, Maradona returned to football when he was appointed Argentina manager in 2008 and led the team at the 2010 World Cup. There was to be no great triumph, but it brought him back to the football world.
Maradona’s death in November 2020 at the age of just 60 was a tragedy for all of football. His passing was mourned all over the world but served to underline his legacy in the sport and the impact he had and will continue to have on generations of players and fans.
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