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Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona is widely remembered for one infamous moment, the so-called "Hand of God" against England in the 1986 World Cup. Many jokingly say that 'El Diego' single-handly won the biggest prize in football for his country. However, there is a significant truth behind the joke - Maradona dragged his nation to World Cup victory with the greatest individual tournament performance ever witnessed.
Maradona enjoyed a sparkling career full of personal and team achievements. The Argentinian represented his country in four World Cups, captaining them to the title in 1986. He led his club side, Napoli, to two Serie A titles in 1986-87 and 1989-90, changing the landscape of Italian football forever in the process.
He won countless individual awards including the World Cup Golden Ball in 1986, the Ballon d'Or for services to football in 1996, and the Fifa Player of the Century in 2000. His number 10 jersey was retired at Napoli in 2000 in recognition of his contribution to the club.
However, it wasn't just awards and titles which made Maradona an icon. His genius on the football field was mesmerizing, combining extraordinary ball control with vision, technique, dribbling, and passing skills. His flair and style inspired thousands of young boys across the world, not least Lionel Messi who recognizes Maradona as the greatest footballer of all time:
"Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona. Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been.” - Lionel Messi
However, Maradona's post-playing career has somewhat damaged his reputation. Failed managerial reins at Argentina and a series of obscure Middle Eastern clubs along with his recent dramatics at the World Cup in Russia have made "El Diego" a laughing stock in the media and among some of his peers.
Regardless of what has happened since Maradona retired, there is little doubt that his playing career was one of the most distinguished in footballing history. A true legend of the game, Maradona deserves to enter into any debate discussing the greatest player of all time.
