Sunday, 29 November 2020

DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA, 'THE BEST HAND OF GOD'

Today, The Grandma has returned to her normal life without families. Living with The Stones has been a wonderful and unforgettable experience and she has been very lucky of having the possibility of spending time together.

She has read a little about latest news and take a look at the ephemerides and she has paid attention to one of them especially: on a day like today FC Barcelona was founded by Swiss, Catalan, Irish and Englishmen becoming one of the most popular clubs around the world thanks to its history and its players.

One of the most important and known players who defended Barça's t-shirt was Diego Armando Maradona, the Argentine player who has passed away this week after a life full of lights and shadows. Maradona, considered like God by Argentinian and Neapolitan people, had a short staying in Barcelona but his football was so great that he will be always in our minds. Rest in peace, Diego.

More information: November, 1899 Foot-ball Club Barcelona was founded

Diego Armando Maradona (30 October 1960-25 November 2020) was an Argentine professional football player and manager.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award.

Maradona's vision, passing, ball control, and dribbling skills were combined with his small stature (1.65 metres), which gave him a low centre of gravity allowing him to manoeuvre better than most other football players; he would often dribble past multiple opposing players on a run.

His presence and leadership on the field had a great effect on his team's general performance, while he would often be singled out by the opposition.

In addition to his creative abilities, he possessed an eye for goal and was known to be a free kick specialist. A precocious talent, Maradona was given the nickname El Pibe de Oro, a name that stuck with him throughout his career. He was also a troubled character, who was banned in both 1991 and 1994 for abusing drugs.

An advanced playmaker who operated in the classic number 10 position, Maradona was the first player in football history to set the world record transfer fee twice: first when he transferred to Barcelona for a then-world record £5 million, and second when he transferred to Napoli for another record fee of £6.9 million.

He played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, and Newell's Old Boys during his club career, and is most famous for his time at Napoli and Barcelona, where he won numerous accolades.

In his international career with Argentina, he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals. Maradona played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where he captained Argentina and led them to victory over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.

In the 1986 World Cup quarter final, he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over England that entered football history for two different reasons. The first goal was an unpenalized handling foul known as the Hand of God, while the second goal followed a 60 m dribble past five England players, voted Goal of the Century by FIFA.com voters in 2002.

Maradona became the coach of Argentina's national football team in November 2008. He was in charge of the team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa before leaving at the end of the tournament. He then coached Dubai-based club Al Wasl in the UAE Pro-League for the 2011–12 season.

In 2017, Maradona became the coach of Fujairah before leaving at the end of the season.

In May 2018, Maradona was announced as the new chairman of Belarusian club Dynamo Brest. He arrived in Brest and was presented by the club to start his duties in July.

From September 2018 to June 2019, Maradona was coach of Mexican club Dorados. He was the coach of Argentine Primera División club Gimnasia de La Plata from 2019 until his death in November 2020.

More information: The Conversation


 To see the ball, to run after it,
makes me the happiest man in the world.

Diego Armando Maradona

No comments:

Post a Comment