THE GOLDEN BOY- DIEGO MARADONA

 Happy birthday to the magician of football, Diego Maradona. The golden boy of football turns 59 this Friday, 30^th October. KHELOVERSE wishes him a very happy birthday.

“It was as if we had beaten a country, more than just a football team.”---Maradona said after beating England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final.

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Here are some facts which you should know, if you are a football fan-

·       On February 27, 1977, Maradona made his international debut against Hungary at age 16 at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires,Argentina.

·       Maradona made 91 appearances for Argentina, scoring 34 goals. He played in four World Cup tournaments for his country.

·       At age 18, Maradona played the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship in Japan and emerged as the star of the tournament, shining in Argentina's 3–1 final win over the Soviet Union, scoring a total of six goals in six appearances in the tournament.

·       On 2 June 1979, Maradona scored his first senior international goal in a 3–1 win against Scotland at Hampden Park. He went on to play for Argentina in two 1979 Copa América ties during August 1979, a 2–1 loss against Brazil and a 3–0 win over Bolivia in which he scored his side's third goal.

·       Maradona's second goal, just four minutes after the hotly disputed hand-goal, was later voted by FIFA as the greatest goal in the history of the World Cup. He received the ball in his own half, swivelled around and with 11 touches ran more than half the length of the field, dribbling past five English outfield players (Peter Beardsley, Steve Hodge, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick) before he left goalkeeper Peter Shilton on his backside with a feint, and slotted the ball into the net. This goal was voted "Goal of the Century" in a 2002 online poll conducted by FIFA. A 2002 Channel 4 poll in the UK saw his performance ranked number 6 in the list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.

·       Maradona holds the record for making the most number of appearances as captain of any country in a World Cup. He skippered Argentina on 16 occasions. In total, however, he made 21 appearances in World Cup tournaments.

·       Maradona helped Boca Juniors to the league championship in 1982 before making a move to Barcelona. In 1984, he transferred to Napoli and helped them win their only two Serie A titles to date – in 1987 and 1990.

·       Other honours during the Maradona era at Napoli included the Coppa Italia in 1987, (as well as a second-place finish in the Coppa Italia in 1989), the UEFA Cup in 1989 and the Italian Supercup in 1990. During the 1989 UEFA Cup Final against Stuttgart, Maradona scored from a penalty in a 2–1 home victory in the first leg, later assisting Careca's match–winning goal, while in the second leg on 17 May – a 3–3 away draw –, he assisted Ciro Ferrara's goal with a header.

·       Diego scored using his hand in the quarter-final of the 1986 World Cup against England. When he was quizzed about the incident, he said: “The goal was scored a little bit by the hand of God, a little by the head of Maradona.”

·       Maradona skippered Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, beating West Germany 3-2 in the final. Diego also won the Golden Ball for being the tournament's outstanding player.

 

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·       He was confirmed as the manager of Argentina's national team in October 2008. Maradona vehemently defended Lionel Messi after Argentina were eliminated from the 2010 World Cup.

·       His fans started a "Church of Maradona" in Buenos Aires in 1998. The year is marked by Maradona’s birthday every year. October 30, 2010 is 50 D.D [“despues de Diego”]," or ‘After Diego’.

Maradona is a magician in dribbling and he is considered as one of the greatest skills in football. Many players have more goals and trophies than him but Diego Maradona with a football at his feet is like a blissful scene to see.

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