Maradona

Diego Maradona

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"Maradona" redirects here. For other uses, see Maradona (disambiguation).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Maradona and the second or maternal family name is Franco.

Diego Maradona

Maradona at 2012 GCC Champions League final.JPG

Maradona with Al Wasl in 2012

Personal information

Full name

Diego Armando Maradona Franco

Date of birth

30 October 1960 (age 53)

Place of birth

Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Height

1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)

Playing position

Attacking Midfielder

Second striker[1][2][3][4]

Youth career

1968–1969

Estrella Roja

1970–1974

Los Cebollitas

1975–1976

Argentinos Juniors

Senior career*

Years

Team Apps† (Gls)†

1976–1980

Argentinos Juniors 114 (74)

1981–1982

Boca Juniors 28 (17)

1982–1984

Barcelona 36 (22)

1984–1991

Napoli 188 (81)

1992–1993

Sevilla 26 (5)

1993–1994

Newell's Old Boys 1 (0)

1995–1998

Boca Juniors 5 (2)

Total

392 (199)

National team

1979

Argentina U20 6 (6)

1977–1994

Argentina 91 (34)

Teams managed

1994

Mandiyú de Corrientes

1995

Racing Club

2008–2010

Argentina

2011–2012

Al Wasl

Honours[show]

Flag of Argentina.svg

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Diego Armando Maradona Franco (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo maɾaˈðona], born 30 October 1960) is an Argentine football manager, coach and former player. Many experts, football critics, former players, current players and football fans consider Maradona as the best football player of all time.[5][6][7][8] He was joint FIFA Player of the 20th Century with Pelé.[9][10]

He is the only footballer to set world-record contract fees twice, firstly when transferring to Barcelona for a then world record £5m, and secondly, when transferred to Napoli for another record fee £6.9m. During his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys. At club level, he is most famous for his career in Napoli where he won numerous accolades. In his international career, playing for Argentina, he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals.

He played in four FIFA World Cup tournaments, including the 1986 tournament, where he captained Argentina and led them to their victory over West Germany in the final, winning the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player. In that same tournament's quarterfinal round, he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over England that entered football history, though for two different reasons. The first goal was via an unpenalized handball known as the "Hand of God", while the second goal followed a 60 m (66 yd) dribble past five England players, voted "The Goal of the Century" by FIFA.com voters in 2002.[11]

Maradona is considered one of the sport's most controversial and newsworthy figures. He

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