Top 5 greatest footballers of all time

#2 Diego Maradona (Argentina)

Diego Maradona

Argentina’s favorite son is fondly known as “El Diego” and that nickname confirms his larger-than-life status. Maradona almost single-handedly won the 1986 football world cup for Argentina.

In the quarter-final against England, Maradona dodged past four defenders and the goalkeeper and scored what was to be termed as the "Goal of the Century'.' He scored 4 more goals in the tournament and won the Golden Ball for the best player. The 1986 World Cup was the pinnacle of an exceptional career.

Maradona has always been a controversial figure and led a colorful and eventful life. However, his unparalleled footballing genius is beyond any dispute. He boasted of the best-left foot in football and was also probably the greatest dribbler ever.

Maradona joined famous Argentine club Boca Juniors in 1981 as a 20-year-old. By then, he had already won the Junior world cup. He signed for FC Barcelona after spending only 1 season with Boca.

Maradona won the Copa del Rey and La Liga with Barcelona in 1983. But he fell out with the Barca president and left the club in 1984. Meanwhile, he also took part in the 1982 World Cup and was sent off against Brazil for a clumsy foul.

Maradona was signed by Napoli in 1984 and subsequently spent 7 exceptional years with the club. He made Napoli a force in Italian and European football, winning the Serie A twice and the UEFA Cup once with them. He also led Argentina to another World Cup final in 1990 before losing to West Germany.

Maradona left Napoli and joined Spanish club Sevilla in 1992. He also played in the 1994 World Cup for Argentina. Maradona scored a wonderful goal against Greece in a group game before failing a drug test after the match against Nigeria.

As a result, he was banned for life by FIFA. However, he made a short comeback for Boca Juniors and spent 2 seasons there. He played more than 500 matches in his club career and scored almost 300 goals. He also scored 34 times for Argentina in 91 matches. He also went on to manage the Argentine national side in the 2010 World Cup.

Maradona is an opinionated person and keeps making outrageous statements occasionally. Moreover, he still continues to be a vociferous supporter of Argentine sports teams and is often seen cheering for Boca Juniors and the Argentine national side from the stands. However, all those peripheral activities cannot take away from the fact that he was probably the most technically gifted footballer of all time.