Diego Armando Maradona (Diego Armando Maradona)

Greatest 'ten' in the history of world football. The most technically player who ever played football. Simply genius. Epithets which awarded this football throughout his dramatic career, would be enough, perhaps, to have to publish a special book in several volumes.

'Golden boy' of the suburbs BUENOS AIRES

He had been not playing football at the professional level, but still, in some way known only to him, attracts tremendous attention. It seems that it is enough just to go out to this at the next day wrote to all newspapers. This is, apparently, the lot of genius, born to conquer the human heart ...

Maradona was born on Oct. 30, 1960 in the town of Lanus - a suburb of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. He was born into a poor family of Don Diego Maradona and Doц?a Dalmas Salvador Franco, who had eight sons and daughters. However, none of whom God has not bestowed so generously talent, as their fifth child Diego.

But his talent was evident right away - I had only to touch the ball. 10-year old lad Diego began to advocate for the youth team of the famous 'Argentinos Juniors' - 'Sebollitas'. And soon a young soccer player stuck sustainable nickname - 'the golden boy'. And when this young boy before his 16 th anniversary remained 10 days, he first made his debut in professional football. It happened in the match 'Argentinos Juniors' - 'Talleres de Cordoba'. Maradona has replaced in the second half Dzhakobetti and from that moment and over the next 5 years has consistently come out on the field in the t-shirt 'Argentines'.

A young footballer progressed quickly. Soon, he scored his first goal in the adult football - the gate keeper 'San Lorenzo' Lukandzholi. And some time later received an invitation from the national team of Argentina, and, as a 16-year-old first played for her in the match against Hungary. We Diego had every chance to get to the World Championship in 1978, but Argentine coach Cesar Menotti at the last moment not included in the composition of a talented young man in his team, saying that at this age is too early to expose themselves to such a test.

Maybe the rest, and sooner, and Maradona had at the time was an order of magnitude stronger than some of its partners in national team. And yet, in the late 80's he still managed to achieve something at the international level. In 1979, the youth world championship in Japan, he led Argentina's national team to victory. At the end of his team beat their peers from the Soviet Union with a score of 3:1, and the beautiful Diego hit with a penalty kick scored one goal while.

FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP complete the removal

From that moment and started taking off in a magical career of this handsome, plump, but a hell of a gifted Argentine football. Shortly after he turned 20, he lured to his other popular club 'Boca Juniors'. Surprisingly, the debut of Maradona in this team also came to the meeting against the 'Talleres de Cordoba'. At this time the 'golden boy' of Argentina played the entire match, and scored the goal rival 2 goals brought his new club their first victory (4:1). And there are victories in the season, he brings not enough - in sum, they resulted in the champion's title for the 'Boca Juniors'.

Maradona to 21 years clearly outgrown the Argentine championship. Then he wanted to get something more substantial, and for this it was necessary to leave the country. Check out not long in coming - in 1982 he invited the Spanish 'Barcelona'. But first, in the same Spain he would play in her first World Championship. By the time Diego was already a star. His name is frequently mentioned on television and in the press, where soccer is not otherwise known as 'the new Pele'. And from the first match at the championship Maradona tried to prove that it is not in vain so styled. Argentine national team without any problems was the group tournament, defeating Hungary (4:1) and El Salvador (2:0), and lost the meaningless match Belgium (0:1). Sam 'new Pele' scored in these meetings, 2 goals.

Then his team got in the group to Italy and Brazil. In the first meeting with the Italians followed him the entire match on the field ran hard defender 'skuadry Azzurro' Gentile. He, despite its name (translated from the Italian Gentile surname sounds like 'dear' - note. AG), was not shy in methods of combating Maradona and often played with him in the ball, and in the leg. Giving such a way to play the leader of the rival, and the Italians won in that match (2:1). The Argentines also lost and a meeting with Brazil (2:3). Has been on the platoon Diego in the game could not resist - in one scene, he kicked a lawyer who fought with him, for which he immediately received a red card. So for Maradona ended the first World Championship.

FAREWELL TO SPAIN. FAREWELL TO ITALY

Spain to Maradona was not a happy place, even though he scored in two years, held in 'Barcelona', 38 goals in 58 games. The reason for this - serious injury. In collision with Andoni Goicoechea from 'Athletics', Diego broke his ankle and tore ligaments in his left 'working' leg. And, behold, the Italian epic won him much more joy.

June 30, 1984 Maradona enters into a contract by Italian club 'Napoli' and from that moment he begins the most pleasant time in the football career. In 1986, he was able to rehabilitate himself in full for the World Championship in Spain. On the Mexican 'mundiale' he played like no one had ever played in my life. Maradona scored the most beautiful, as many believe, a goal in the history of football - the gates of the British, when the beat on the road six people. In the same quarter finals and scored the funniest ball - 'hand of God', as he later admitted. And most importantly, he led Argentina to the title.

Wonderful things have evolved Diego and in the club. In 'Napoli' he spent 7 unforgettable years. With never shone team he twice in seasons 1986/87 and 1989/90 has managed to win the Scudetto at once - the Italian Cup in 1987, UEFA Super Cup in 1989 and Italy in 1990. He was a real idol in Naples. He literally coddled.

But all good things sooner or later ends. Unfortunately, Diego parted from Italy do not like, perhaps, it should have been. Shortly after the World Championship, held just on the Apennines, where the Argentines, led by Maradona, won second place in the blood Diego found prohibited substances. After lengthy proceedings and examinations player excommunicated from football for 15 months. In Italy, where football is equated with religion from a burning love to fierce hatred - one step. The press began an angry tirade to the football player, someone even called him a drug addict. Withstand such pressure Maradona was not under force, and after serving a disqualification, he firmly decided for themselves - in 'Napoli' not to return.

DRUGS not replace FOOTBALL

After Italy's Diego kindled a special 'love' for journalists. How did he hate them - that he beat them with his hands, then fired on them from an overhead, as if on the wheel. He is entangled and entangled in the regular scandals. One by one the lawsuits appear to Maradona and concentrate on playing him more and failed. He still trying to remind myself on the football field, but it looked like only the agony. He played for 'Seville', then returned to Argentina and spent a few matches for 'Newell's Old Boys'. Even in the incredible team effort came.

However, at the World Championship in the United States was waiting for a new blow. Having played two matches and scoring one goal, he was again subjected to disqualification. Discovered in his analysis of ephedrine in fact, and set point in the career of the greatest 'dozens' of world football. No, Maradona has made repeated statements that dropped football, and even made an attempt to return to his native 'Boca Juniors'. But, he played for him when he wanted, and even fewer trained. Officially the date of his last match considered to be October 25, 1997, when Diego, yellow and black t-shirt 'Boca' last time out on the field in an official meeting against the 'River Plate'. And he announced his departure from football five day later - the day of his 37-anniversary.

Surprisingly, but Maradona's farewell game was not. Perhaps because he himself had yet to be fully aware that he now football with the prefix 'ex'. From that, probably, and floods - or rather, is pumping sorrow drug. Recent events that have occurred from Maradona, shocked the world. He literally in just a few inches was on the brink after the next dose. At the time help arrived, the oldest one Argentine communist leader Fidel Castro, who offered Maradona to undergo a course of rehabilitation in his country. The whole world wants a speedy recovery Diego.

He had been not playing football at the professional level, but still, in some way known only to him, attracts tremendous attention. It seems that it is enough just to go out to this at the next day wrote to all newspapers. This is, apparently, the lot of genius, born to conquer the human heart.