John Duggan writes that anyone who is lucky enough to remember Diego Maradona play football will feel a sense of loss at the news of his passing...
Diego Maradona's death at the age of 60 is profoundly sad, for his family, for Argentina and for all of us around the world who love football and sport.
The debates will always rage as to who is the greatest footballer of all time, Pele, Messi, Maradona. In a way, it's a circular argument because Maradona's individuality and brilliance renders a permanent mark on the consciousness of anyone who watched him. It's the mark of magic, beamed around the world onto our television screens and into our living rooms from Mexico, Barcelona and Naples.
Diego Maradona could do things with the football that others could not. He was a genius in the true sense of the world; the ball a string on his feet, his low centre of gravity evading lunges on pitches far inferior to today. His pace at his peak, his dribbling ability, his close control, his eye for a pass and his goal scoring prowess were superior to everyone in his generation. He was the complete footballer. He was also the first mega star of the commercial age, bigger than Pele in that regard. Unlike Pele, Maradona left Latin America for Barcelona in 1982, when he was 21. It cost Napoli the equivalent of €7.7 million to bring him to Italy in 1984.
The tributes will mention the flaws in his character; the cheating, the drug and alcohol abuse, the mad behaviour. The quarter-final against England at the 1986 World Cup showed both sides of the Maradona coin; the man who had a sense of viveza or street cunning in the Hand of God incident; followed minutes later by the unbelievable skill to score the goal of the century. Perhaps the flaws made it easier for people to make a connection with Maradona, because he was so transparently human like the rest of us. Asif Kapadia's documentary revealed that there was a front, an egotistical 'Maradona' - the person who coped, alongside the innocent and warm 'Diego', the family man.
What struck me about the documentary was how suffocating fame and idolatry can be at that extreme level. Maradona was a God in Buenos Aires and Naples. The religious fervour and placing of Maradona on a pedestal by the people he made happy made it hard for him to breathe, to live a normal life. In ways, Maradona's life was never the same after the 1990 World Cup semi-final against Italy, staged in Naples of all places. Calling for the natives to support him over their country backfired once Argentina won on penalties. Naples turned its back on the adopted son and Maradona's involvement with the Camorra caught up with him.
Health scares, a friendship with Fidel Castro, gastric band surgery and an unsuccessful stint in charge of Argentina at the 2010 World Cup would keep Maradona in the headlines, but none of these episodes are why the football and sporting world is engaged in an outpouring of tributes, sadness and personal memories and why Argentina is now entering three days of mourning.
No, these were the reasons why Maradona captured our hearts.
It was his nonchalant display of outrageous gifts, the 'Live is Life' video of the pre-match routine, the 259 goals, the balance against Belgium in 1986, the mazy run to pass for Caniggia against Brazil in 1990. It was the brilliance at Boca, free as a young bird. It was bravely taking the kicks during his career, the punishment by Claudio Gentile in 1982 and the 'Butcher of Bilbao'. It was leading Napoli, second class Southerners in Italian football to their first Serie A title in 1987, then another, and a UEFA Cup. All of this at the time when Italian football ruled the club game. It was being marked closely by Lothar Matthaus for the entire 1986 World Cup final and still delivering the magic ball for Jorge Burruchaga to score the winner.
That summer day in Mexico City was the peak of Maradona's career. I was seven years of age watching it, simply mesmerised. So many other younger or older football fans were too. Many born after 1986 have consumed the history of this transcendent talent. Diego leaves us 15 years to the day we lost another flawed footballing legend, George Best.
Maradona is who you wanted to be in your back garden, in the park, in the school yard. You wanted to be him, to do those magical things. Football is the global religion and Maradona moved in mysterious ways. The uncertainty of his next act on a pitch was enrapturing and love was inevitable. For me, that love will never fade.
May he rest in peace.
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