Topic: Maradona 1960-2020

[oojason]

A really touching gesture to Maradona's daughter by the Boca players at the Boca vs Newell's Old Boys game...

https://streamja.com/6BV6a





'Captain Maxi Rodriguez holds Diego Maradona's Newell's shirt before the game gets underway at La Bombonera. Diego's daughter Dalma is watching from the stands. #BOCvNOB' - https://twitter.com/Newells_en/status/1333174886479622145




FIFA also put up a 21-video 'Maradona Playlist' on their official youtube channel...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XegYZ8y3xMY&list=PLCGIzmTE4d0i50BeizuDk6K1YbbRkPh1I



And FIFA finally got around to releasing their official video for the 1986 World Cup last week. Obviously, Maradona features a fair bit...

'1986 FIFA World Cup | The Official Film':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/3eDZV-p9DiI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/3eDZV-p9DiI</a>



and anyone wanting to re-watch the whole England vs Argentina match from the 1986 Word Cup (on the official FIFA youtube channel)...

'Argentina v England (Mexico 1986) | FIFA World Cup | Full Match':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Pl3AnYCeTrU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Pl3AnYCeTrU</a>




'Maradona goals for Argentinos Juniors (1976-1980)':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/xGwtEDoYq-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/xGwtEDoYq-0</a>



'Maradona: all the goals for Boca Juniors (1981, 1995-98)':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/aHRRfg0M_UE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/aHRRfg0M_UE</a>



'Maradona: all goals for Barcelona (1982-84)':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/fSyeVUhPyP8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/fSyeVUhPyP8</a>



'Maradona: All goals in Napoli (1984-1991)':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/J7aMVqaSopI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/J7aMVqaSopI</a>



'Maradona: all goals for Sevilla (1992-93)':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/iC5f3-B5L_M" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/iC5f3-B5L_M</a>



'Maradona's goal for Newell's Old Boys (1993-94)':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/h0uLCQeWzd0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/h0uLCQeWzd0</a>




'Maradona: All 34 goals for Argentina':-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/ZRj5l3XV6Uw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/ZRj5l3XV6Uw</a>



Rafa on Maradona (in October 2008) - www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=231308.0

Maradona visits Melwood (in November 2008) - www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=231694.0

'Maradona says Liverpool are his English team' - www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/anfield-lionel-messi-diego-maradona-19941918

'Maradona loves Jurgen Klopp and still holds Liverpool passion after first Anfield trip' - www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/diego-maradona-loves-jurgen-klopp-17943847

Wikipedia Page : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Maradona

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

A tribute from Boca.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/6poxXnw-BOE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/6poxXnw-BOE</a>

[Lycan]

absolute natural talent - no doubting that

but he couldn't lace Kenny's boots either as a complete player,

I love Kenny, but that is bollocks.

[Jookie]

The only player I’ve seen come remotely close to Maradona when it comes to natural ability is Messi.

He was an out of this world phenomenon and if gods walk among us, he must have been one of them.

Same thing for me.

Watching the game for nearly 40 years and they are the best 2 players i've seen by a mile. Really hard to compare Maradona and Messi due to how the game has changed. Statistically it's easy to build an argument that Messi is the better player. It is for sure consistency of performance over his career as well.

For Maradona, the argument is more about taking a provincial, but decent, club to 2 league titles plus inspiring a good, but not great, Argentina team to a World Cup triumph. Though he's an inspirational figure Messi hasn't ever really inspired a poorer team to glory against the odds.

The biggest difference however is the physicality of the game between 1980's and now. Would Maradona have flourished with the protection he would have had from referees now? Or would the fast paced nature of the game have taken something away from him? Could Messi handle the brutality of the tackles week in, week out in the 1980's? Would Messi have the courage and willpower to continue to play when defenders could hammer you with knee high challenge? Maradona must have been playing through injuries for a lot of his career.

The level of game they play in week in week out is pretty different too. Serie A in the 1980's and 90's was easily the best domestic European league there has ever been. That shouldn't even be an argument. The quality throughout the league was staggering. At times you had the likes of Effenberg, Hagi, Guardiola playing Serie B football when they weren't exactly in the twilights of their careers either. In comparison La Liga is pretty poor. Beyond 6 or 7 games a season, you are playing average to poor teams. The CL is more the barometer for Messi's performance but that has pretty poor opposition in the group stages if you are one of the Pot 1 or Pot 2 teams. I think it's undeniable that it's been significantly easier for the likes of Messi and Ronaldo to build up a wealth of statistics to back up their performances compared to the likes of Maradona, van Basten, Batistuta, Klinsmann who were plying their trades for multiple seasons in Serie A. Tha's not to denigrate Messi (or another other modern day players) achievements. It's more just a matter of fact.

Re-reading the above it sounds like I'm making the argument that Maradona is the better player. I don't actually think he is, i'd probably edge towards Messi if pushed. Maradona is definitely the more inspiring figure though. What he achieved, who he did it with and how he did it make Maradona's achievements infinitely more inspiring despite him not putting up 700 odd goals and a load more club based honours.

[The G in Gerrard]

I watched documentary of when he was in charge of Mexican side but one thing that stood out apart from his amazing passion for the game is that he wore two watches all the time. What's that about.

[Terry de Niro]

I watched documentary of when he was in charge of Mexican side but one thing that stood out apart from his amazing passion for the game is that he wore two watches all the time. What's that about.

https://www.football-espana.net/2020/12/01/ronaldo-explains-why-diego-maradona-used-to-wear-two-watches

[CraigDS]

I see Napoli have changed the name of their stadium to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

This is a brilliant interview.   

Why Maradona matters

Mariano Siskind, born in Argentina and Harvard professor of romance languages and literatures and of comparative literature, to understand the social and cultural phenomenon behind Maradona, his larger-than-life persona, and his legacy.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/12/harvard-professor-explains-why-diego-maradona-matters/

[Raaphael]

One thing I don`t quite understand with Maradona`s career is why he is so heavily associated with Boca Juniors. He only played there one year in his prime(81-82 season) and two seasons in the second half of his thirties(95-97). The longest part of his career he spent at Argentinos Juniors, from he was 8 until he was 21 and he played for their senior side from he was 15.

[bonnieshona]

Diego Maradona was a legendary player. Football technically, he was one of the best ever.
Tactically, he is that close to as the player he was. He will remain forever in our hearts. SCORER OF THE MOST HISTORIC GOAL IN A WORLD CUP FINAL.

[Yorkykopite]

Diego Maradona was a legendary player. Football technically, he was one of the best ever.
Tactically, he is that close to as the player he was. He will remain forever in our hearts. SCORER OF THE MOST HISTORIC GOAL IN A WORLD CUP FINAL.

Diego Maradona was a legendary player. Football technically, he was one of the best ever.
Tactically, he is that close to as the player he was. He will remain forever in our hearts. SCORER OF THE MOST HISTORIC GOAL IN A WORLD CUP FINAL.

That was Carlos Alberto.

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

Lorenzo Insigne has a new tattoo.   

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIgdfWmIcNd/?utm_source=ig_embed

[DanJay87]

One thing I don`t quite understand with Maradona`s career is why he is so heavily associated with Boca Juniors. He only played there one year in his prime(81-82 season) and two seasons in the second half of his thirties(95-97). The longest part of his career he spent at Argentinos Juniors, from he was 8 until he was 21 and he played for their senior side from he was 15.

They were his boyhood club. I believe he turned down better deals by River Plate to go there

[The G in Gerrard]

https://www.football-espana.net/2020/12/01/ronaldo-explains-why-diego-maradona-used-to-wear-two-watches

Excellent. Cheers!

[kavah]

Great photo and great story how he got it:

' I bribed a stadium guard with whisky and got dead close just as he was lifted on to another player’s shoulders. It was like a biblical scene. He looked magnificent ... He looked right into my eyes’ David Yarrow

I love this ) his career low point: “Realising there was no film in my camera at a World Cup semi-final.” 






https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/jan/06/diego-maradona-1986-world-cup-mexico-david-yarrow-best-photograph

[Armand9]

i've just watch the documentary Diego Maradona by Asif Kapadia - absolutely brilliant

i'd recommend it to anyone who likes football but especially those who lived through his period, it fills in the details you didn't know between all those headlines you read and if you did know some of the details, this documentary provides a panorama of how it all fits in the like i haven't seen before

the one thing that comes across more than anything to me, he was living an impossible situation i wouldn't wish on an enemy

[Drinks Sangria]

i've just watch the documentary Diego Maradona by Asif Kapadia - absolutely brilliant

i'd recommend it to anyone who likes football but especially those who lived through his period, it fills in the details you didn't know between all those headlines you read and if you did know some of the details, this documentary provides a panorama of how it all fits in the like i haven't seen before

the one thing that comes across more than anything to me, he was living an impossible situation i wouldn't wish on an enemy

Agreed, it's a brilliant documentary. When he comes back from injury and the 1990 World Cup and he's just sat at the table at that party, he looks absolutely hollow, like he has nothing left to give. A portrait on humanity as much as on the pressure Maradona lived under at all times.

Aside from the mafioso stuff as well, how could anyone live like that? Could the people of Naples not have given him some form of space? You feel like they owed him that much but just took and took, wanting more and more of their idol. I can't imagine anything worse than that - he was in an extremely gilded prison in many ways during his heyday in Napoli.

[The North Bank]

i've just watch the documentary Diego Maradona by Asif Kapadia - absolutely brilliant

i'd recommend it to anyone who likes football but especially those who lived through his period, it fills in the details you didn't know between all those headlines you read and if you did know some of the details, this documentary provides a panorama of how it all fits in the like i haven't seen before

the one thing that comes across more than anything to me, he was living an impossible situation i wouldn't wish on an enemy

Just watched that, thanks for the recommendation, excellent insight.
Only positive thing about it is that it wont happen again, european clubs are run differently now. He was around at a different time, sheer madness what he was surrounded by.
First question he got in his press interview when he signed for Napoli was, have you heard of the Camorra (mafia)....

[Armand9]

Agreed, it's a brilliant documentary. When he comes back from injury and the 1990 World Cup and he's just sat at the table at that party, he looks absolutely hollow, like he has nothing left to give. A portrait on humanity as much as on the pressure Maradona lived under at all times.

Aside from the mafioso stuff as well, how could anyone live like that? Could the people of Naples not have given him some form of space? You feel like they owed him that much but just took and took, wanting more and more of their idol. I can't imagine anything worse than that - he was in an extremely gilded prison in many ways during his heyday in Napoli.

i felt the same about the Neapolitans. ok i get it, they'd never won the league before, they had the world's best player and it was a heady concoction of excess and success for them (on the back of being viewed as scum by the rest of italy, of which they were very aware and often reminded) and im sure they viewed the adoration they poured on him as  nothing but postiive.

But i agree, at some point surely just as a human (even given the fact it was a different era but i lived that era and i could see it) you have to sit back and think living like that where your every move is a crush from a crowd and you literally have no space once outside your front door, you have to see it must be an absolute fucking nightmare of an existence. And the part i wasn't aware of, was how ostracised he became and treated like shit after they knocked italy out of the world cup - what the fuck did they expect, that he'd throw the game?? bizarre

He was no saint, and im not a maradona apologist for the shit that rightly lays at his door as his own doing but watching that, i literally felt 'i've judged you wrong dude, i have no idea how someone, anyone, can live like that'. The enormity of it all, the unrelenting smothering, the relentless jostling, the greed of every fan for a piece of the man, that grows exponentially across a city. In short, an impossible situation for any person.

All he wanted to do was play football and look after his family as he'd done from the age of 15 - think about that, fucking 15 years old and the well being of his family is squarely on him - im not blaming them, they lived in utter poverty and he took it on himself as he could see a way out through his football and in reality would be the only way out. He was a dick at times, sure, but i feel you have to cut him some slack (which previously to be honest i didn't) apart from being a football genius he had many great qualities as a person that i hadn't even considered, mainly through ignorance but still.

[Drinks Sangria]

Good post Armand, a lot of it went through my mind and it's all food for thought. The documentary is one of the best sports docs I've ever seen.

My girlfriend isn't massively into football and only had a passing idea of who Maradona was but sat and watched it with me (we're both Italophiles so will consume anything to do with Italy) and her reaction after was roughly 'I know he was the best player in the world, extremely wealthy and did some incredible things, but my feeling coming away after watching that is that I feel sorry for him.' And I agree.

Like you say, from a child he knew his family's long term wellbeing was his responsibility, he grew up in abject poverty. Can you blame him of some of his excesses given what he was exposed to, the lack of protection he was given and the leeches that attached themselves to him?

I am both stunned by what he managed to achieve and feel like in another era, you have him producing Messi numbers and people 'guiding' him in a better way. Maybe though, that takes away the glory of Maradona, the essence of what he gave to people and that feeling that this guy is a force of nature, a pure working class expression of ferocity, resistance and not allowing others to keep you in poverty and dejection. Messi is an incredible player. Maradona is a symbol.

[rafathegaffa83]

Seven people charged with homicide. Potential sentences range from 8 to 25 years

https://www.espn.com/soccer/argentina-arg/story/4390371/diego-maradona-case-seven-medical-professionals-charged-with-homicide?

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

I wouldn't call my mom a football fan, she knows who Maradona is and watched some of his games with my grandfather when the World cup would roll around. My dad is not a football fan at all, again knows Maradona but I know for a fact that he'd rather sleep than watch a World cup final, especially before me and my brother were born, both are mad for the game.

Both were kinda indifferent about the guy, I made them watch his documentary with me, as I believe it's a brilliant documentary, football or not. Both were bawling their eyes out by the end. The man lived an incredible life and in a different era, he has a much more stable life with an entourage that protects him, but in the same time, all the vulnerabilities on air is what made him so relatable, so loved and adored.

I am watching more and more older games and videos from his time, the more I watch him, the more I am convinced, he's the best bar none. Put him in today's era, with better coaching, better protection on and off the pitch and better lifestyle choices and he'd be producing Messi like numbers easily and I love Messi. I doubt Messi or Ronaldo would hack it back in the 80s, only one I believe who would come close to Maradona is Brazilian Ronaldo if it wasn't for the three ACL injuries.

[Medellin]

Effortless..

https://streamable.com/0oghx7

[Iska]

Thinking back to the documentary, what sticks with me is how much every frame of it really, really, really matters - by which I mean that Maradona’s career is at all times an expression of something much bigger than what’s happening on the pitch.

Ken Early called Argentina’s win in 1986 and Napoli’s scudetti the most meaningful titles of all time.  I think that’s right; there’s little else that even comes close.

It’s also what ultimately leaves me cold about the modern players, as football professionalised and commercialised itself - the space that those other forces filled with meaning has been steadily ironed out.  Zidane’s France are probably the last widescreen example we’ll see.

Ronaldo, to be fair to him, does have something of that about him, with his insane personal ambition; and so, I think, does Klopp, though I’m not sure we fully understand it yet.

But the others’ athletic achievements, great as they are, are just athletic achievements.  Pep, Messi, they’ve done amazing things - but they don’t really mean anything, they can’t, because they exist only within the sport itself as it has evolved.  Sure they expanded its possibilities but they did nothing outside it.  There just isn’t space for those bigger forces anymore, and to me they're the ones that matter.

[Ziltoid]

Effortless..

https://streamable.com/0oghx7

Could do with tying his boot laces.  It'd have to be him as not many are fit enough to.

[Lee1-6Liv]

Steve Hodge has sold Maradonna’s shirt that he swapped in 1986 for £7m!

https://twitter.com/asifburhan/status/1521867856606113792?s=21

[Kekule]

Steve Hodge has sold Maradonna’s shirt that he swapped in 1986 for £7m!

https://twitter.com/asifburhan/status/1521867856606113792?s=21

Apparently Shilton put in a bid but he couldn’t go high enough, the auction completely passed Terry Butcher by, and Peter Reid wanted to put in a bid but was too slow.

[Crosby Nick]

Apparently Shilton put in a bid but he couldn’t go high enough, the auction completely passed Terry Butcher by, and Peter Reid wanted to put in a bid but was too slow.

Haha.

That goal is hilarious watching it back. Obviously it’s the work of a genius performing at the top of his game on the biggest stage of all. At the same time Reidy is just jogging back and no one puts in any kind of tackle. Puts my work rate at 5 a side to shame.

[Kekule]

Haha.

That goal is hilarious watching it back. Obviously it’s the work of a genius performing at the top of his game on the biggest stage of all. At the same time Reidy is just jogging back and no one puts in any kind of tackle. Puts my work rate at 5 a side to shame.

It’s very much a “nah, it’s alright. Someone else will stop him” jog from Reid, isn’t it?!  Watching it again Steve Hodge appears in the frame for a few seconds and just has a little trot behind him before giving up as well.

England in 1986 was very much a different world when it came to pressing the opposition.

[Linudden]

I'd rather buy some real estate if I had that money but that's just me

[rob1966]

Steve Hodge has sold Maradonna’s shirt that he swapped in 1986 for £7m!

https://twitter.com/asifburhan/status/1521867856606113792?s=21

Some rich people are fucking vile. £7.1 million for a fucking shirt?

[dirkster]

It’s very much a “nah, it’s alright. Someone else will stop him” jog from Reid, isn’t it?!  Watching it again Steve Hodge appears in the frame for a few seconds and just has a little trot behind him before giving up as well.

England in 1986 was very much a different world when it came to pressing the opposition.

One thing I've always wondered. If Bryan Robson was fit and playing in that game, whether he would've slid in to take Maradona out before he started that mazy run, or whether he would've been looking on and thinking...."fucking hell, I'm not getting anywhere near that fella"

[Nobby Reserve]

I'd rather buy some real estate if I had that money but that's just me

The buyer's probably already got lots of real estate

[Iska]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/WUwDnrpIIak" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/WUwDnrpIIak</a>

I had no idea until today that Maradona played for Tottenham.  Okay it was only one game, and it was only Ardiles’ testimonial, but still.  Thankfully there’s footage of it - just look at it (and listen to the delight of the crowd!), the way he moves, his body shape, the choices he makes, how much he’s putting in, everything.  I mean if there was ever a natural footballer, this is it.

[Lawnmowerman]

Always liked that spurs holsten top