If there is an afterlife, I still want to be a footballer and I want to be Maradona. As a player, I bring joy to people, and for me it is enough.
—Diego Maradona
On November 26, Beijing time, Maradona died at home due to a sudden heart attack at the age of 60. Subsequently, the Argentine presidential palace declared the country into a three-day period of mourning.
The scenery inside the stadium is infinite, the negative outside the stadium is constant, and Maradona, which combines angels and demons, makes people love and hate. Looking back on the life of the "Ball King", it is wonderful enough and complicated. Sloth Bear Sports has sorted out fragments and intersections of Maradona's memories with football, with charity, and with Chinese fans.
Save Naples
In July 1984, Maradona joined Italian side Napoli. Napoli had never won the league title before Maradona's arrival and was on the verge of relegation in 1982–83 and 1983–84. As a result, Napoli fans are looking forward to Maradona coming to save their team. Antonio Juliano, Napoli's sporting director who was in charge of the contract negotiations at the time, bluntly stated that if it happened, Maradona would be the "god on earth" in the hearts of the fans.
Maradona is very popular with Napoli fans.
During his seven years with the team, Maradona helped the team win two ProVolas titles and one UEFA Cup, as well as an Italian Cup and an Italian Super Cup. This period is the most glorious part of Napoli's 94-year history, and Maradona should be credited with the first credit. 'Maradona is not just a player, he has been a symbol of the spirit of Napoli for many years." Corrado Ferlaino, the former president of the Club of Naples, said.
More importantly, Maradona justified the name of the city of Naples. Naples is located in the south of Italy, and its economic base is relatively weak compared with the northern cities, and the cities on the north and south sides also have a sense of confrontation. This sentiment also spread in Serie A, and the northern teams represented by AC Milan and Inter Milan and the southern teams represented by Napoli often fought endlessly.
Therefore, the appearance of Maradona can be said to have helped Napoli out of a "bad breath" in the stadium. It could also explain why Maradona has been retired for years and local fans still have a lot of respect for him. After Maradona's death, the mayor of Naples, Luigi De Magistris, proposed renaming the local Stadio San Paolo to Stadio Maradona and asked the stadium to be lit up all night. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has also expressed his willingness to name the Stadio San Paolo after Maradona.
"Hand of God"
The "Hand of God" event.
At the 1986 World Cup, Argentina reached the quarter-finals against England. In that match, Maradona scored two dollars, one goal from the famous "Hand of God" and the other from breaking the net after five consecutive shots. After crossing england, Argentina soared all the way to the World Cup. But for the Argentine people, beating England may mean more than winning the Hercules Cup.
Later, England star Gary Lineker said, "At that time [the quarter-final between Argentina and England in the 1986 World Cup] was patchwork, and you could fall into it if you stepped on one." In this case, he can turn around and break all the way, as if undefended, which is amazing. It was the moment I wanted to applaud my opponent's goal the most in my life, but I held back or I would die when I returned home. He was without a doubt the best footballer of our generation. ”
Many fans may not understand the meaning of "God's hand", but it is closely related to the international political background at that time. On April 2, 1982, The President of the Argentine Junta, Leopoldo Castelli, sent troops to occupy the Malvinas Islands (known to the United Kingdom as the Falkland Islands), which were disputed between Argentina and the United Kingdom, and the two sides subsequently broke out into war, known as the "Anglo-Armagh Island War". The war lasted 73 days, culminating in Argentina's defeat and surrender. Losing the war with the British on his doorstep devastated the Argentine people.
Four years later, when Argentina and England met in the World Cup, Maradona led the team to eliminate the opponent, giving the Argentine people great encouragement on the spiritual level.
Maradona's goal after five consecutive men is a World Cup classic.
"Maradona"
Héctor Campomar, Alejandro Verón and Hernán Amez are big fans of Maradona. On October 30, 1998, on Maradona's 38th birthday, they founded the "Margárdona Religion" (Maradoniana) in the Argentine city of Rosario.
The Ten Commandments of "Maradona".
"Maradona Teaching" has ten precepts - football is always pure, love football is more than anything, express unconditional love for Maradona and the beauty of football, fight for the Argentine jersey, spread Maradona's miraculous deeds to the whole world, respect maradona where he has played and his jersey, don't say that Maradona is a member of any team, promote "Maradona teaching", use Thiago as his middle name and the name of his first child, be down-to-earth, be a useful person.
Take responsibility for bad things
Maradona on the pitch is invincible and honorable, but Maradona outside the stadium continues to spread negative news such as drug abuse, alcoholism, promiscuity and drug prohibition. At the 1994 World Cup, Maradona was disqualified from the competition and banned for 15 months for taking the banned drug Ephedrine. Maradona was no longer brave after the drug ban and was finally announced to retire in 1997.
Maradona's achievements might have been higher without so much off-field negativity, but he didn't make excuses for the mistakes he made. In 2008, filmmaker Emir Kusturica made a documentary called Maradona. During this time, Maradona had told Kusturica that he was willing to take responsibility for the good and bad things in his life, and sometimes there was a clear difference between Maradona in life and Maradona on the pitch.
Dealings with the Pope
In 2013, Vatican Pope Francis took office, becoming the first Latin American pope. Both Argentines, Francis and Maradona met several times. In addition, Maradona traveled to Rome several times to participate in the "Battle for Peace" charity race, the proceeds of which were donated to the charity of the Church of Rome and to the victims of the 2016 earthquake in central Italy.
According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, after Maradona's death, Francis recalled his time with him and prayed for him in memory of the "poet of the stadium."
Venezuela
On November 26, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro revealed that Maradona had secretly helped Venezuela on a secret mission to deliver food this year. Maradona and Maduro met in January to discuss food issues, when Maradona pledged to help resolve the matter.
After Maradona's death, the Venezuelan government expressed condolences, and Maduro also tweeted that Maradona was a "brother and close friend" of Venezuela.
Chinese love affair
In 1978, China broadcast the World Cup for the first time, and the host country at that time was Argentina. Eight years later, Maradona led Argentina to the top at the 1986 World Cup, impressing Chinese fans.
In 1996, Maradona participated in a trip to China as a player in the Boca youth team. Although Maradona had entered the end of his career at that time, the boca youth team and Beijing Guoan and Sichuan Quanxing were still full of matches, and Chinese fans wanted to see the "king of the ball".
Maradona China Trip.
1996 was Maradona's first and last time in China as an active player. In the years since, Maradona has visited China many times, showing off his skills on the Great Wall, witnessing Argentina win the Men's Football Championship at the Beijing Olympic Games, and organizing charity events in cooperation with the China Red Cross Foundation, leaving many memories of Chinese football and fans on and off the pitch.
After Maradona's death, the Chinese Football Association wrote on its official Weibo, "As the best player of the twentieth century and the winner of the World Cup, Maradona has made great contributions to world football and brought indelible good memories to Chinese fans." Maradona's departure is extremely sad for all those who love football. Hats off to Maradona's illustrious football career! Goodbye, Ball King! ”
Crowd evaluation
You have led us to the top of the world and brought us endless joy. Thank you for coming, and we will remember you for the rest of our lives.
—Alberto Fernández, President of Argentina
I lost a close friend and the world lost a legendary player. I hope one day we can play together in heaven.
- Brazilian football star Pelé
He left us, but he will not fade away, because Maradona lives on.
—Barcelona player Lionel Messi
One of the best players in history, the unrivaled magician. He left too early, but still left an endless legacy and a void that could never be repaired.
—Juventus player Cristiano Ronaldo
Maradona lives on and he will always occupy one of the most important places in all the wonderful football fairy tales.
—FIFA President Gianni Infantino
Maradona is one of the greatest athletes in the history of sport.
—Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal
Legendary rest.
—Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt
A front-page tribute to the media
After Maradona's death, many media front pages featured Maradona as the cover to pay tribute to the "King of Ball".
Italian newspaper Milano Sport.
The Guardian.
Spain's World Sport newspaper.
People's Daily.
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