The “Golden Boy” of Argentina, Diego Maradona, passed away because of a cardiac arrest. The legend of Argentine soccer died at the age of 60 after a long time struggling with the traumatic disease.
He was once the “Golden Boy” of Argentine soccer, once the legend of Napoli and Sevilla, one the World Cup winner, and once the great soccer player. In the end, Diego Maradona – the Golden Boy of Argentina soccer – passed away at the of 60, ending a story of a remarkable but questionable athlete in history. Maradona is a figure of arguments, debates, and controversy.
He is a great soccer player of his generation and a leader of the Argentina squad that has won the World Cup of 1986, but at the same time, he is also the center of debating when Maradona was found to be positive with cocaine.
Maradona has lived a life in controversy, and he has ended it because of a tragic disease. Nonetheless, his legacy will live on and be the inspiration for the youngsters. “The Argentine Football Association, through its President Claudio Tapia, expresses its deepest sorrow for the death of our legend, Diego Armando Maradona. You will always be in our hearts,” the Argentine Football Association tweeted on their Twitter.
The Argentines President Alberto Fernandez says that he will operate a national mourning in order to tribute what Maradona has done for the Argentine soccer. “You took us to the top of the world. You made us feel incredibly happy. You were the greatest of all. Thank you for having existed,” the President posted a tribute for Maradona on his Twitter.
For the Argentine nation and the Argentine citizens, Maradona is not simply the name of a human being. He is a god in his homeland, and he is the phenomenon of success in Argentina. However, the influence of Maradona is not just restricted inside the border of the South American nation. Maradona is also a figure of success in Napoli, where he has played his best soccer at. The Italian club also cried for his death. On Twitter they wrote. “Forever. Goodbye Diego.”
In the 1980s, Diego Maradona was the figure of a successful Argentina national team. La Albicelestes has reached the World Cup Final twice in 1986 and 1990 respectively thanks to the remarkable talent and the charismatic leadership of Maradona. He made the debut for his nation in 1978, but the first World Cup Maradona participate in was the World Cup 1982 when he and his beloved Argentina lost in the second round of the tournament.
Maradona scored 2 goals in that unsuccessful tournament, but it was convincing enough that the young Maradona had talent to play soccer in Europe.
Then he moved to Barcelona in 1982 where he had a short spell of two years before joining Napoli with a record of transfer fee in 1984. Even though the Italian club suffered from the financial crisis back then, they accepted to spend an enormous price tag for the player. After 7 years playing for the Italian club, Maradona proved that Napoli’s decision were right.
He won the Scudetto with Napoli twice in 1986/1987 and 1989/1990, the Copa Italia in 1986/1987, the Super Copa Italia in 1990/1991, and the UEFA Cup in 1989/1990. His 7 years spell at Napoli finally became a successful signing of the Italian club. Unfortunately, Maradona was found to be positive with drug in 1991 and he was banned from competing for one year.
The player came back to professional soccer then with a short spell at Sevilla, but it was the last peak that the Argentine could reach to. He left the European soccer in 1993 and came back to his homeland Argentina before confirming his retirement in 1997.
In order to tribute what Maradona has done for the club, Napoli decided that they would change the name of their stadium to Diego Armando Maradona in the upcoming season. Governor of Naples confirmed that they had done the paperwork with Napoli and the name of the stadium would be changed officially. Argentinos Juniors, the first professional club of Maradona, also changed their home stadium name to Diego Armando Maradona as a tribune for the Argentina legend.
Though Maradona has lived a conflicting life, he earned the respect from his fellows and his successors thanks to his remarkable talent of soccer. His friend, Pele, said on AFP that he wished he could play with Diego one day “in heaven.”
“Sad news for today, I lost a beloved friend, and the world lost a legend,” Pele said. “I hope that one day, we can accompany and play soccer in the heaven.”
Pele respected Maradona as a human being and also as a soccer player despite the rivalry between Brazilian soccer and Argentine soccer.
The former Argentine athlete is loved by his nation because of his wonderful talent, but in the mean time, he is also the target of debate because of his deceptive and misleading character. Before passing away, Maradona admitted that he was most proud of his hand-goal into the net of the famous Englishman Peter Shilton. He usually called it with the controversial name: Hand of God.
“If I could do it again, I would do it with my right hand.” Diego said.
Now Gods has taken the hand of Diego and walk him to the heaven where his sinful past might be eased, and where his traumatic pain will be cured forever. The life of a conflicting figure has ended, but his legacy will live on. Diego Maradona was a poor kid living in Tigre and loved soccer desperately that his only dream was to become a soccer player. And after all, the poor kid from Tigre showed the world how talented he was and how fantastic he could be.
He is Champion of World Cup 1986 and the Sun of Napoli. Thank you Diego and good bye El Pipe!