Biography: Many people regard Diego Maradona, an Argentine football legend, as one of the greatest players of all time. He was born in Lanus, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 30, 1960. Don Diego Maradona and Dalma Salvadora Franco were his parents, and he was the fifth of eight children.
Maradona started playing football when he was 10 years old and joined the Argentinos Juniors youth team. At the age of 16, he made his club’s professional debut, where he quickly became one of Argentina’s most talented players. He moved to Boca Juniors in 1981, where he helped the team win the league title.
In 1982, Maradona moved to FC Barcelona, where he turned into a fan number one and came out on top for a few championships, including the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. In 1984, he moved to SSC Napoli, where he became a legend. He was the team’s manager when they won their first Serie A title in 1987 and another one in 1990.
Maradona is perhaps best known for his performance as Argentina’s manager during the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He scored two of football history’s most memorable goals in the quarterfinals. The first was the “Hand of God” goal, which he scored by punching the ball into the net. The second was a solo goal that he scored by dribbling past five England players. Maradona was given the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player after Argentina won the tournament.
The career of Maradona was not without controversy. Throughout his playing career, he struggled with drug addiction, and in 1991, after testing positive for cocaine, he was banned from football for 15 months. After a brief spell with Boca Juniors, he left professional football in 1997.
Maradona struggled with health issues and drug addiction after retiring from football. He coached a number of teams, including the Argentina national team, but he never achieved the same level of success as a player.
Maradona, 60, passed away from a heart attack on November 25, 2020. Football fans all over the world mourned his passing, and he was remembered as one of the sport’s greatest players.
- Full name: Diego Armando Maradona
- Date of birth: 30 October 1960
- Place of birth: Lanús, Argentina
- Date of death: 25 November 2020 (aged 60)
- Place of death: Dique Luján, Argentina
- Height: 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
- Position(s): Attacking midfielder, second striker
- Marital Status (at the time of death): Divorced
- Wife: Claudia Villafañe (1984-2003)
- Sons: Diego Maradona Junior Diego Fernando Maradona
- Daughters: Jana Maradona Dalma Maradona and Gianinna Maradona.
- Father: Diego Maradona Senior
- Mother: Dalma Salvadora Franco
- Brothers: Hugo Maradona, Raul Maradona
- Sisters: Elsa Maradona, Ana Maria Maradona, Maria Rosa Maradona, Rita Maradona.
Diego Maradona Lifestyle
Diego Maradona’s love of football, fame, and excess characterized his life frequently. His extravagant spending, partying, and occasionally controversial behavior made him famous.
Maradona’s love of luxury made him famous, and he owned several mansions, expensive cars, and other high-end items. Additionally, he was well-known for his partying lifestyle and reputation for excessive drinking and smoking.
The personal life of Maradona was frequently fraught with scandal and controversy. He had numerous extramarital affairs and fathered numerous unwed children. He also struggled with addiction throughout his life and was arrested multiple times for drug possession.
Maradona remained one of the football world’s most beloved and respected figures despite his personal struggles. Throughout his career, he was a fan favorite due to his skill and charisma, and he was known for his immense talent on the field.
Additionally, Maradona was deeply committed to charitable endeavors and frequently utilized his platform to raise awareness of social issues. Throughout his career, he established a number of foundations and charities, one of which is the Diego Maradona Foundation, which aids underprivileged children.
In general, Diego Maradona’s way of life was characterized by his adoration for football, his lavish spending, and his periodically questionable way of behaving. He remained a beloved figure to millions of football fans worldwide and an iconic figure in the world of football despite his personal struggles.
Diego Maradona Statistics
- Maradona played in 491 professional matches, scoring 259 goals.
- He won two Serie A titles with SSC Napoli and one La Liga title with FC Barcelona.
Maradona played in four World Cup tournaments and scored 8 goals in 21 appearances. - He is the only player to have scored a goal with his hand in a World Cup match, which is famously known as the “Hand of God” goal.
- Maradona won the Golden Ball award for the best player at the 1986 World Cup, where he led Argentina to victory.
- He is one of only three players to have scored in two different World Cup finals, having scored in both the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals.
- Maradona was included in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team, which features the best players in the history of the tournament.
- He was named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000, along with Brazilian legend Pelé.
Maradona was inducted into the International Football Hall of Champions in 2011.
Diego Maradona Records
- Maradona became the most expensive player in the world when he was signed by FC Barcelona for £5 million in 1982.
- He is the only player to have won the Golden Ball award for the best player at the World Cup tournament twice (1986 and 1990).
- Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for the Argentina national team.
- He scored the “Goal of the Century” in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England, which was voted the greatest goal in World Cup history by FIFA in 2002.
- Maradona scored two goals in the 1986 World Cup final against West Germany, leading Argentina to their second World Cup victory.
- He was the top scorer in the Argentine Primera Division in 1978, 1979, and 1980.
Maradona is one of only four players to have won the FIFA World Cup as both a player and a coach. - He was named the South American Footballer of the Year on five occasions (1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, and 1989).
- Maradona was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame and the Argentine Football Association Hall of Fame.
Diego Maradona Awards
- FIFA Player of the Year: 1986, 1990
- Golden Ball (World Cup Best Player): 1986, 1990
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1986, 1990
- South American Footballer of the Year: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1989
- Argentine Primera Division Top Scorer: 1978, 1979, 1980
- Serie A Top Scorer: 1987-88
- UEFA Cup Winner: 1988-89
- Copa del Rey Winner: 1983-84
- Argentine Football Association Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1996
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2018
Diego Maradona Family
Diego Maradona had a complex family life, which was marked by both joy and tragedy. Here are some details about his family:
Parents:
Maradona was born on October 30, 1960, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Diego Maradona Senior and Dalma Salvadora Franco.
His father worked as a factory worker and played football for a local team, while his mother was a housewife.
Spouses and children:
Maradona was married twice in his life. He was first married to Claudia Villafañe in 1984, and the couple had two daughters together, Dalma and Giannina.
Maradona and Villafañe divorced in 2004, and he went on to have several relationships with other women. He had at least three more children with different partners, including Diego Junior, Jana, and Diego Fernando.
In 2020, Maradona was in a relationship with Veronica Ojeda, with whom he had his youngest son, Diego Fernando.
Siblings:
Maradona had two younger brothers, Hugo and Raúl, who both played professional football.
Hugo died in 2015 at the age of 52 from a heart attack.
Overall, Diego Maradona’s family played an important role in his life, and he often spoke about his love for his children and his close relationship with his brothers. However, his personal life was also marked by controversy, including allegations of infidelity and paternity disputes