THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF DIEGO MARADONA
Late Tackle Football Magazine|February - March 2021
ROBERT J WILSON TAKES A LOOK BACK AT THE ARGENTINIAN LEGEND’S INCREDIBLE LIFE...
ROBERT J WILSON
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF DIEGO MARADONA

KNOWN as El Pibe de Oro (The Golden Boy), Diego Maradona once revealed his ambitions for his career. Already at ease in front of a TV camera, the teenage sensation expressed his dreams for the future.

“I have two dreams - one is to play in the World Cup, and the other is to be champion with my team.”

If life is all about achieving dreams and goals, then they don’t get any better than that.

The secret was already out by then with the majority of Europe’s top clubs pursuing his signature from Boca Juniors, for whom he had scored 28 goals from just 40 starts. Barcelona would eventually win that particular race with a world record transfer fee of £5m in June 1982.

Barely a month later, his first taste of the World Cup (he was surprisingly left out of the 1978 winning squad) ended in defeat and disgrace against Brazil. With Argentina trailing 3-0 to their fiercest rivals, Maradona’s studs-up challenge on the Brazilian substitute Batista saw him sent off with just minutes left.

Four years later, though, and Maradona would fulfil his prophecy with stunning brilliance in the stifling heat of Mexico.

One-man teams do not exist, but undeniably during Mexico ’86, that is the closest you will ever see to it.

At the age of 25, Maradona had not only cemented his place as the finest player of his generation, but arguably as the best ever.

His virtuoso performances, most notably against his adopted country Italy and Uruguay in the group stages, the sworn enemy England in the quarter-final and Belgium in the semi-final transfixed world audiences.

This story is from the February - March 2021 edition of Late Tackle Football Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February - March 2021 edition of Late Tackle Football Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM LATE TACKLE FOOTBALL MAGAZINEView All
MY FIRST LOVE
Late Tackle Football Magazine

MY FIRST LOVE

COLIN ALLAN RECALLS HIS EARLY DAYS AS A SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUPPORTER...

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2024
POEMS FOR 'THE FIRST CLUB'
Late Tackle Football Magazine

POEMS FOR 'THE FIRST CLUB'

CHRIS TOWERS TELLS US ABOUT HIS FRESH CHALLENGE WITH SHEFFIELD FC...

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024
VINTAGE NEV'S GULLS EXPLOITS
Late Tackle Football Magazine

VINTAGE NEV'S GULLS EXPLOITS

STEVE HARRIS RECALLS THE DAYS WHEN LEGENDARY GOALKEEPER NEVILLE SOUTHALL PLAYED BETWEEN THE STICKS FOR TORQUAY UNITED...

time-read
5 mins  |
March - April 2024
PAKISTAN PASSIONI
Late Tackle Football Magazine

PAKISTAN PASSIONI

MICHAEL SHERIDAN VISITED PAKISTAN AND THE MOUNTAINS OF KARIMABAD WHERE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL IS BOOMING

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024
THREE OF A KIND
Late Tackle Football Magazine

THREE OF A KIND

TOM GREEN LOOKS BACK AT A TRIO WHO FAILED TO SET TOP-FLIGHT ALIGHT...

time-read
5 mins  |
March - April 2024
DAVE'S TREASURE HUNT
Late Tackle Football Magazine

DAVE'S TREASURE HUNT

FORMER SOUTHAMPTON STRIKER DAVE PUCKETT TELLS JAKE GUNTON ABOUT HIS EFFORTS TO TRACK DOWN SOME PRECIOUS MEMENTOS OF HIS PLAYING DAYS...

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2024
TIPPING THE SCALES
Late Tackle Football Magazine

TIPPING THE SCALES

MATTHEW LUDDINGTON TALKS TO JOHN SCALES ABOUT HIS PLAYING DAYS AND HIS LATEST EXPLOITS...

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2024
ENGLAND IN GERMANY
Late Tackle Football Magazine

ENGLAND IN GERMANY

SAM SHEPPEY LOOKS BACK AT THE WORLD CUP IN 2006 AS ENGLAND GET SET TO RETURN TO GERMANY...

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2024
THE WISE OLD OWL
Late Tackle Football Magazine

THE WISE OLD OWL

JONNY BRICK EXAMINES THE CAREER OF LEGENDARY COACH AND MANAGER ROY HODGSON...

time-read
6 mins  |
March - April 2024
PENALTY POINTS
Late Tackle Football Magazine

PENALTY POINTS

SAM TODD LOOKS AT TOP-FLIGHT POINTS DEDUCTIONS IN LIGHT OF EVERTON'S RECENT WOES...

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024