Argentina must invoke the legacy of Diego Maradona to win the FIFA World Cup
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Diego Maradona
Football, it’s called the most Beautiful Game. One of the most charismatic characters to have adorned it in full glory and won the World Cup for Argentina was Diego Maradona. The latest edition of the FIFA World Cup begins in Qatar on November 20. Five days hence, on November 25, the world will remember Maradona on his second death anniversary.
For this generation which is craving to see Lionel Messi win the most coveted and biggest trophy for Argentina, a flirtatious attempt at portraying Maradona the Magician is imperative. There was none more rascal than him and there was none more ravenous than him. Maradona, oh man, the Hand of God, we have read a million words about it. But why think of just one controversy about a man who had the world at his feet with his feats?
Maradona was a magician would be stating the obvious. What he achieved with his feet and, of course, The Hand is well known! No football story is complete minus a throwback to what Maradona meant to football fans. Billions of them, all over the globe.
He was the antithesis of a hero. No great manners, boorish, did drugs, smoked cigars, boozed, and womanized. Did it decrease his presiding deity status in world football? No, it did not. Did it motivate more Argentines like him? Arghh. That’s not easy. There was one Maradona and there can never be a reincarnation even if The Lord wishes.
Argentina’s hero Diego Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020. This is the time to recall what he achieved with his breathtaking skills
The mind goes back to November 25, 2020, when Maradona died. It was a very sad day. For a man who had abused all kinds of substances, booze was something mild. He smoked cannabis and much more, changed women like the flip of a coin, and led a lifestyle that was lavish and lousy. It depended on the way you saw it.
Yet, when Maradona died, billions of hearts sank. It was, as if, a person dear and near had departed. His legacy was as powerful as his magical foot skills and how sad fans were can be recaptured only if you go through the emotions produced by one of the greatest ever characters football has produced. There was national mourning in Argentina, lasting three days when Maradona died. For a man who stood at just five feet and five inches, he was the pint-sized dynamo. He defined grace, touch, and deceit, making it miserable for rival defenders and goalkeepers in any match.
His rise was phenomenal. From birth, on October 30, 1960, Maradona had led a difficult life. It was a hard life he led, virtually raised in what is known as ghettos in that part of the world. He had been kicked around in real life, by circumstances and hardships. Yet, when he was noticed at the age of 10 for his football skills, there was a divine touch to it. That he took each stride like a giant and then became The King is well-chronicled. There are stars. And then you have superstars. In today’s world of football, where clubs dominate TV screens and national teams come to the World Cup with so many injury worries, Maradona was different. He was in peak shape, health-wise while playing. For him to peak was so easy, proof of which came at the 1986 World Cup where Argentina triumphed.
When Maradona won that World Cup for Argentina, one man was upset, English goalkeeper Peter Shilton. That goal from Maradona, hand or foot, who cares! It had taken him to stardom of the greatest heights which the world cried about for two reasons — legitimacy and illegitimacy! The Hand of God videos are still there and in today’s age of VAR in football, maybe Maradona would have been caught.
Who cares? The world loves champions who are mavericks. To say that Maradona was a cheat would be blasphemy. He was God and remains God, just that his presence is now above. Two years, away from Earth, you cannot forget the man who made the 1986 World Cup almost his own One question asked is whether Maradona was a role model or someone who defined bad things. That is a bit like asking if you love famous rock band stars for their lead guitarists or main drummer plucking strings speedily or banging the drum set in a frenzy. Maradona was a cult figure. People aped him, right or wrong.
He played with courage, minus shin guards early on. It was much later he started using guards to protect his valuable shins. The worst we saw from Maradona was in the 1994 World Cup when he failed a dope test for ephedrine! Surely, that was a disgrace. Since he was Maradona, he got away even with that sin. After all, he was the national coach after that a few times.
In his last few years, Maradona had become weak, plagued by all the wrong things he consumed. He went in and out of hospitals several times. Till death came knocking on his doors on November 25, 2020. What should football fans remember Maradona for? Debauch or divine, genius or junkie? Well, it’s your choice. This FIFA World Cup, Maradona will be watching from above. Come on Leo, do it for Diego!
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)