| Diego Armando Maradona (born on October 30, 1960, Lanus, a province of Buenos Aires) is an Argentinian football player who ended his football career playing as an attacking midfielder. Maradona represented the clubs “Argentinos Juniors”, “Boca Juniors”, “Barcelona”, “Napoli”, “Sevilla” and the “Newell’s Old Boys”. In total, Maradona has played 91 matches and scored 34 goals as a part of the National Team of Argentina.
Argentina was World Champion in 1986 under the captaincy of Diego Maradona and runner’s up in 1990. Maradona has participated in four FIFA World Cups. Maradona even represented Argentina in World Youth Championship in 1979 and helped Argentina win the cup. He was the Best Player of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Maradona won the “Football Player of the Year” in South America in 1979 and 1980. Maradona was twice a member of the symbolical modular World Cups. He was Champion of Argentina as a part of the club “Boca Juniors” and twice champion of Italy as part of the club “Napoli”.
He is the Best Football Player of the 20th century according to voting on the official FIFA site, where he secured 53.6% of the votes; according to the version of the FIFA Football Committee, Maradona is the 3rd ranked football player of 20th century. According to the poll survey of IFFHS, Maradona occupies the 5th place amongst the best football players of the world from the 20th century. Maradona stands at 2nd place amongst the best players as per the version in World Soccer Magazine. According to The Times, Maradona is the best football player in the history of the World Cup. Maradona is the FIFA Player of the Century.
According to FIFA, Maradona is member of the symbolic national team of best players in all World Cups. He is also a member of the symbolic national team of best players in the history of South America. In 1999, Maradona was recognized as Argentine’s Sports Writers Sportsman of the Century. The goal scored by Maradona against England is regarded as the “FIFA Goal of the Century” and also recognized as the Best Goal in the history of the World Cups. In the same game he scored a goal with his hand, which is now known as the “Hand of God”.
Maradona is an honorary citizen of Buenos Aires. The stadium of the club “Agentinos Juniors” was named “Diego” and was opened on December 26, 2003 on the day of his debut in the team. In June, 2005, Maradona received the award “Domingo Faustino Sarmiento” from the Argentine Senate.
Maradona's sports career was shortened due to drug dependency, owing to which, he was compelled to leave football for some time because of disqualification and treatment. Also Maradona was involved in several trials, including his arrest in April, 1991 for possessing cocaine and a two year conditional period was handed out to him in 1999 for shooting from an air rifle at journalists in the summer of 1994.
After the end of his career as football player, Maradona worked as a TV commentator on channels from Argentina and Italy. Since June 2005 till August 2006, Maradona was Vice-President of the football club “Boca Juniors”. Maradona has acted in several films.
Since October 2008, Maradona is the head coach of the Argentina national team which reached the quarterfinal of the 2010 World Cup.
Maradona is a “Sporting Idol” both in Argentina as well as in Naples. First of all, Diego was popular amongst the citizens of these regions. In Naples, he was a symbol of mythical opposition of the “oppressed” poor clubs of South Italy and the “powerful” northern clubs, which ostensibly controlled football in the country.
One of the main examples of Maradona idolatry is “The Church of Maradona”, built in 1988. This comic religion is generally in South America and the around 60000 members are staunch followers of this religion. For “parishioners”, the first God in 1960 was born Diego Maradona. For them, June 22 is Easter, the day on which Diego Maradona scored two goals against England in the World Cup. The Church has constructed a monument in the honor of Maradona in the museum of the “Boca Juniors” and a statue in Bahia Blanca.
Maradona's popularity is expressed in the songs meant for him. Singer Rodrigo Bueno has composed a song “La mano de Dios” (“Hand of God”). Rock group Los Piojos made the song Maradó, Fito Paez made the song “Y dale alegría a mi corazón” (“You Amuse my Heart”), group Los Calzones had the song “Yo te sigo” (“I Follow You”), Mano Negra composed the song “Santa Maradona” (“Sacred Maradona”), Andres Calamaro - made the song “Maradona”, Carlos Garcia - song “Maradona Blues”, Los Ratones Paranoicos - song “Para siempre” (“Forever”), Attaque 77 - song “Francotirador” (“One’s Own Master”), Los Cafres - song “Capitán Pelusa” (“Captain Pelusa”), group Las Pastillas del Abuelo - song “¿Qué es Dios?” (“That for God”?), Bersuit Vergarabat - song “Maradona”, Beangrowers - song “Maradona”, Hurtmold - song “Música Política Para Maradona Cantar”, “The Caught Anteaters” - song “Millions, Maradona”. The song of composer Ruslan Gorobets on the verses of poet Michael Tanich “Samba with Maradona”, sung by Soviet singer Anna Veski became the most laureate of the All-Union Festival "Song -87”.
The theatrical play “ T-Shirt No.10: Between Paradise and Hell” was performed in Cuba in 2004, where the main protagonist is Maradona. On March 30, 2007, the biographical film “Maradona, la mano di Dio” about Maradona was released by Italian director Marko Risi. In 2008 the film “Maradona”, made by director Emir Kusturica was released. A considerable part of the film was devoted to “The Church of Maradona”.
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Soccer icon Diego Maradona, now the coach of Argentina team, made a public promise in the beginning of the 2010 World Cup: "I'll run n4k3d through Buenos Aires if we win World Cup". Unfortunately for Maradona, his team suffered a shameful defeat 0:4 from Germany in the quarter-final game and flew home without any medals.
