Diego Maradona
Attacking Midfielder · Napoli · Argentina
About Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona is one of the greatest and most iconic footballers ever — a mercurial genius who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup, producing both the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century" in the same quarter-final against England. Co-voted FIFA's Player of the Century alongside Pelé.
Diego Maradona's story
Villa Fiorito
Diego Armando Maradona was born on 30 October 1960, the fifth of eight children in a desperately poor family in Lanús, Greater Buenos Aires (ARG). They soon moved to Villa Fiorito — a shantytown of dirt roads, open sewers and corrugated iron roofs south of the city. Diego received his first ball at age three from a cousin. He slept with it. His father, Diego Senior — known as "Chitoro" — worked in a bone-meal factory. His mother, Dalma Salvadora Franco, whom Diego called "Dona Tota," was the emotional centre of his world and remained so for his entire life. He was devoted to her above all others.
The Golden Boy
Maradona turned professional at 15, the legal minimum age after special dispensation. Within months it was obvious Argentina had produced something extraordinary. His close control was inhuman — the ball seemed physically attached to his left foot. He joined Barcelona (ESP) in 1982 for a world-record £5m, but the move was difficult. He suffered hepatitis, a broken ankle in a brutal tackle from Athletic Bilbao (ESP)'s Andoni Goikoetxea, and a toxic relationship with the Spanish press. He was happier at Napoli, where the working-class passion of the city matched his own soul.
Love, Children & Chaos
Maradona's personal life was as dramatic as his football. He married Claudia Villafañe — his childhood sweetheart — in 1984. They had two daughters, Dalma and Giannina, both of whom he adored. The marriage survived enormous turbulence but ended in 2004. Maradona acknowledged children from multiple relationships across four countries; by the time of his death, legal proceedings in Italy, Cuba and Argentina were identifying further potential heirs. He was generous to a fault — he gave vast sums to friends, fans and strangers, frequently leaving himself financially exposed.
Addiction & the Abyss
Maradona's cocaine addiction became public knowledge in the early 1990s. He spoke of it with brutal honesty in later life: the pressure of being a god, the inability to switch off, the friends who turned out to be dealers. He received a 15-month ban in 1991. An overdose in 2000 brought him close to death. A heart scare in 2004 led to gastric bypass surgery in Colombia. He battled his demons publicly and imperfectly, cycling through recovery and relapse. "Cocaine helped me play," he said in one notorious interview — a comment that broke the hearts of millions who loved him.
Final Years & Death
Maradona's final years were spent largely in Argentina. He managed the national team at the 2010 World Cup with flamboyant, chaotic energy, making the quarter-finals. His health deteriorated in his 50s — he had brain surgery in November 2020 to remove a blood clot. He died twelve days later, on 25 November 2020, of a heart attack, aged 60. The news stopped Argentina. Hundreds of thousands filed past his coffin at the Casa Rosada. The grief was raw, global and entirely genuine. Whatever his flaws, Maradona was loved in a way that few humans ever are.
Did you know?
- ✋ His "Hand of God" goal — deliberately scored with his fist — he claimed was scored "a little with the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God."
- ⚽ The "Goal of the Century" against England saw him beat five players and the goalkeeper across 60 yards — voted the greatest World Cup goal ever by a FIFA public poll.
- 👨👩👧👦 Long-term partner Claudia Villafañe bore him daughters Dalma (1987) and Gianinna (1989). He acknowledged several other children in later life. He died in Buenos Aires in November 2020.
- ⛪ A religion called "Iglesia Maradoniana" was founded in 1998 and claims tens of thousands of devotees worldwide.
- 🇦🇷 He was given a state funeral in Argentina's Casa Rosada — a privilege normally reserved for presidents.
- 🏅 Voted FIFA co-Player of the Century alongside Pelé following a global public vote in 2000.
- 🤲 He was fiercely devoted to his mother, Dona Tota. When she died in 2011, Maradona was visibly broken — he carried her coffin personally through the streets of Buenos Aires.
- 🏠 He grew up in Villa Fiorito — a shantytown with no running water. Despite earning millions, he never forgot his roots and regularly returned to give money and gifts to local families.
- ✍️ Maradona's autobiography "I Am El Diego" contains one of sport's most remarkable opening lines: "I made mistakes and I paid for them. But if I was born again, I would do it all the same."
Honours
- FIFA World Cup: 1986 — Argentina (Golden Ball winner)
- Serie A x2: 1987, 1990 — Napoli
- UEFA Cup: 1989 — Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 1987 — Napoli
- Argentine Primera División: 1981 — Boca Juniors
- Copa del Rey: 1983 — Barcelona
- FIFA Player of the Century: 2000 — jointly with Pelé
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