46 thoughts on “The Golden Boy

  1. Brother Barnabas

    if you go to Naples, you really understand the depth of affection for him among fans of his former clubs – especially Napoli. hardly a street that doesnt have a mural or some other tribute to him.

    rip diego

    1. Johnny 'Diego' Keenan

      I know you know this one Brother.

      “The Neapolitans are being asked to be Italians for one night, while the other 364 days of the year they get called terroni (an Italian slur roughly translated as peasants),” he told reporters

      As the son of migrants from Argentina’s vast, impoverished interior region who settled in Villa Fiorito – one of the countless shanty towns on the periphery of Buenos Aires where the sewers are open and fetid, the roads earthen and on rainy days torrents of garbage would flow through the streets – Diego understood from an early age what it meant to be discriminated against and mocked by the capital’s middle and upper classes.

      Upon arriving in Naples, he instantly identified with the racism suffered by the southern Italian club at the hands of its northern neighbours.

      “Welcome to Italy,” fans of Milan, Juventus, Genoa or, as on his 1984 debut, Verona would proclaim when Napoli came to visit. “It was north against south, the racists against the poor,” he recalled to journalist Daniel Arcucci.

      So, Maradona’s heroics in taking Napoli from the foot of Serie A to the summit were not just felt on the football field; he is credited with installing new pride to a city resigned to the jeers and insults of their wealthier neighbours.

      Diego could be certain, then, that on at least one occasion in the World Cup Argentina’s anthem would not be disrespected. But, typically for the outspoken No. 10, he wanted even more.

      “The Neapolitans are being asked to be Italians for one night, while the other 364 days of the year they get called terroni (an Italian slur roughly translated as peasants),” he told reporters.

      “I only want respect for the Neapolitans, both my team-mates and I know they are Italians, we cannot ask for them to cheer for us, but the rest of Italy should know the people of Naples are just as Italian as they are.”

      While Diego did not fully sway the hearts of all the 60,000 in attendance at San Paolo on July 3, 1990, he did provoke divided loyalties.

      “Maradona, Naples loves you but Italy is our homeland,” one banner read, while another professed: “Diego in our hearts, Italy in our songs.” The Albiceleste captain received a rousing ovation when he ran out on the field and for the first – and last – time the Argentine anthem rang out largely absent of interruptions.

      https://www.goal.com/en-sa/amp/news/maradona-in-our-hearts-italy-in-our-songs-how-diego-split-napoli-/10mhmwfy55ek71smfsfru30l0y

  2. Jasper

    The likes of which we will never see again.

    The good and the bad, a perfect mix resulting in the most iconic player of our, or any time.

    I’ve just about had enough of 2020 :-(

    1. Charger Salmons

      Maradona scored 349 goals in his professional career.
      Cristiano Ronaldo is on 744 and still going strong.
      No comparison.

      1. dav

        would you concede that maradonna may have to deal with more robust defending and less protection from referees “back in the day”? Or that there were far fewer competitions or games within existing competitions?

        1. yupyup

          Absolutely, Andoni Goikoetxea, (the Butcher of Bilbao) the most notorious example. Broke Maradona’s ankle with a tackle from behind.

          Received some heavy treatment in Serie A too.

          1. Brother Barnabas

            broke maradona’s ankle in the league in september and, when bilbao and barca met again in the copa del rey final the following june, told maradona in the tunnel before the game “this time I take both ankles”

            entire bilbao team went out with express instruction to injure maradona – they didnt but it was 90 minutes of brutality. every outfield bilbao player recorded at least 3 fouls against maradona in that game alone. at the final whistle, he gave it back:

            https://youtu.be/8-c8fAu_Kfw

            can anyone imagine Ronaldo being able to cope with that? theres the difference

      2. yupyup

        Maradona played most of his career as a ’10’ while Ronaldo played most of his at ‘9’ ,’ You do know the difference charger?

        1. Charger Salmons

          Yes, one kept fit throughout his career by being a model professional who eschewed drinks and drugs in favour of being able to play as long as possible and is still one of the best players in the world aged 35.
          The other was a pissed-up cheating cokehead with criminal links who treated women appallingly and eventually became a washed-up has-been trading on past glories.
          Will that do it for you ?

          1. Brother Barnabas

            “who treated women appallingly”

            which of then has a string of rape allegations hanging over his head ?

          2. Papi

            “The other was a pissed-up cheating cokehead with criminal links who treated women appallingly and eventually became a washed-up has-been trading on past glories.”
            Paging the British Empire! Call on line 1!

  3. Daisy Chainsaw

    He had moments of true magic on the pitch… and lived the life off of it. Far too young, but filled to the brim.

    1. Frank

      He was just waiting for the right moment. With all the pubs closed in England there’ll be no celebrating his passing tonight. A perfectly timed run in my opinion.
      RIP Diego Armando Maradona. The greatest.

      1. Charger Salmons

        Not the greatest.
        That would be Cristiano Ronaldo.
        But in the top half dozen.
        His second goal in the Hand of God game still one of the best of all time.
        Remind me – was 1986 another disappointing world cup for Ireland in terms of qualifying ?

        Heh x Hand of Eoin.

        1. Papi

          Guaranteed if it was Ronaldo that died, Spaffy would be saying Maradona was the best ever.
          Pathetic behaviour again.

    2. Joe F

      Shame on you clown man. Predictable as ever and disgusting as ever. You should be proud of yourself old boy.

      1. scottser

        Come on Joe, have you not learned that english nationalism is perfectly respectable, while irish nationalism is disgraceful and shameful?
        they even call it ‘british exceptionalism’ ffs.
        chargerblack is our resident hypocrite, its best to leave him rolling round in his own filth really.

    3. Tommy Bohan

      Your a class act Charger! Of course all your English heroes are complete role models?
      Assuming of course your English which is highly debatable!!
      RIP Diego. In my opinion he was in the same league as Pele and very, very few others

      1. Charger Salmons

        You’re.Your. There is a difference.
        But talking football – Maradona and Best are not in the same league as Cristiano Ronaldo.
        This week Ronaldo scored his 37th goal in his 36th game of 2020.
        He’s 35.
        At that age Best and Maradona were getting thrown out of pubs for annoying the locals.

        1. Joe F

          Ronaldo is a fantastic player I totally agree. It’s interesting that Eamon Dunphy once called Ronaldo a “clown”, so you have something in common with your hero you 100% clown. I think if you asked 100 people who was better – Maradona or Ronaldo, a lot more than half would go for Maradona. Then again you’re the prophet who suggested for people to put money on Trump, and a few weeks ago you said the EU was going to cave into UK demands on Brexit imminently. I suppose if you keep making predictions old boy, eventually you’ll get one right. Marvelous.

  4. Johnny 'Diego' Keenan

    Easily the best footballer EVER to lace a pair of boots.

    The beautiful game mourns the most beautiful artist of them all.
    We will NEVER see his likes again.

    Different Classss!!!

    He had absolutely no problem calling out Yanky Imperalisim where and when he saw it.

    Which was every where. No wonder his poor heart gave up in the end.

    ViVa Diego!

    R. I. P. Maradona

    1. Charger Salmons

      His heart gave up because he spent most of his adult life shoving gak up his hooter.
      A great player but he squandered his talents and his legacy,like Best,will be largely overshadowed because of it.
      Tortured genius is okay if you’re a starving artist drinking absinthe in a garret.
      But not if you’re a professional athlete who can’t be arsed to train.

      1. Brother Barnabas

        “squandered his talent”

        professional debut at the age of 15
        international debut at the age of 16
        practically single-handedly won the World Cup in 1986
        won leagues in Argentina, Spain and Italy + UEFA Cup + Euro Cup + domestic cup 7 times
        World Player of the Year 4 times
        serie A top scorer while playing as a central midfielder
        la liga top scorer
        97 caps for his country
        World Cup top scorer

        yeah, a talented lad but did nothing with it… can we chalk football up as another subject you know nada about ?

      2. Otis Blue

        “A man of genius is unbearable, unless he possesses at least two things besides: gratitude and purity”

        Beyond Good and Evil: Nietzsche on Love, Perseverance, and the True Mark of Greatness (1886)

      3. Johnny 'Diego' Keenan

        ‘Charger’ you haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.

        He was brought up in a very poor part of Buenos Aires. He fought against a dictatorship on and off the pitch.
        He went to Napels to carry the fight for the forgotten people of Napoli. Again, on and off the pitch.
        He brought them from zeros to heros.

        He was a man of the people where ever he went.
        Yes he had his vices. Who doesn’t.

        Don’t start this crap he owed someone something.

        He came from nothing and he gave millions of people something to believe in.

        That to most genuine honest people is everything.

        3 days of mourning is the very least his country could do for him.

        Show some respect please.

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