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Diego Maradona

I am surprised there isn't a thread about this character, so I will start one. What does everyone think about him?

Honest opinions please and remember it is not done to be uncharitable to the dead, however tempting it may be, so here's mine:

A great player but a cheat. Bobby Robson - who was more of a gentleman than he could ever be - said that his second goal in 1986 was worth two goals, but then he did also say "It wasn't the hand of God. It was the hand of a rascal. God had nothing to do with it... That day, Maradona was diminished in my eyes forever."

I think I agree with that

19 Replies

  • Matthew Isle

    Post deleted - forgot this was in the fully open part of the forum.

  • Paul Dennis
    ''A great player but a cheat'' Summed up perfectly.
  • Clarke Buckeridge
    The Mexico 86 Quarter final is being shown in full on the BBC Sport site today at 5pm.

    To be honest I was upset with England's defending that day. That stupid sliced clearance by Hodge, then Shilton was slow off his line, barely jumping off the ground and was beaten in the air by someone who was pushing 5 ft 4 (even using his hands, Shilton still should have easily got it).

    Hodge even got Maradona's shirt at the final whistle as well and was showing it off back at the hotel after the game. T***pot.
  • Martin Parkes

    In reply to Clarke Buckeridge:

    He was a brilliant footballer but imho will forever be defined by his failure to admit that he cheated. I can understand that players do things instinctively sometimes but not owning up afterwards was unforgivable for me.
    Still it gave the Argies their famous "If you don't jump you're English" and the Jocks their "Do the Maradona" chants.
    I too thought that our defending was poor that day.
  • Graham Morrison

    In reply to Martin Parkes:

    Maybe if we’d had a maradona or klinsmen type player/cheat we’d have won something else since 66
  • Andy Catanach

    In reply to Graham Morrison:

    out of interest anyone on here go to the Maradona Quarter! final game?!

  • Graham Morrison

    In reply to Andy Catanach:

    Quarter final ?
  • Graham Morrison

    In reply to Graham Morrison:

    No
  • Russell Osborne
    Sadly, I'm just a bit too young to remember '86, although I do remember my parents talking about the game on the day, neither have an interest in football, I would have been 7, my Mum bought up the Falklands. Obviously I've seen that goal, but I've also seen the other one. Sure he was a cheat, but so was Thierry Henry, Sure he took drugs, so did Gazza, sure he shot at reporters with an air-rifle, so did Ashley Cole, he died on the 25th November, so did George Best (sorry tedious - but couldn't resist it).

    But he entertained us, like all of the others and that's what football is about to me. I remember the '90 & '94 World Cups, especially the opening game of '90 in which he played. As a side note the Netflix doc about his time in charge of Sinaloa is a good watch.
  • Matthew Isle

    In reply to Russell Osborne:

    Post deleted - forgot this was in the fully open part of the forum

  • Matthew Isle

    In reply to Matthew Isle:

    Post deleted - forgot this was in the fully open part of the forum

  • Graham Morrison

    In reply to Matthew Isle:

    Uncanny I’ve just finished watching it also .
    It’s sad to think that the club and city who he gave their best ever achievements and happiness to were the same ones who destroyed him
  • Martin Parkes

    In reply to Matthew Isle:

    Yes, cheating is endemic now but it wasn't then. That's what made it such a big deal at the time.
    Plus him never admitting it like Henry did. If he'd said that he just did it instinctively then then it would have been OK. But for me that hand of god nonsense was unforgiveable.
  • Graham Morrison

    In reply to Martin Parkes:

    If you watch his interviews he gives god the credit for everything he does/did . The good and the bad so we shouldn’t really read to much into him trying to deflect his cheating to god as he also gave god the credit for the 2nd goal as well as everything else that happened in his life

    I liked the bit in the film when someone shouts something like “ you are greater than the pope “ and he replies “ that doesn’t take much does it “
  • Simon Ostcliffe

    In reply to Martin Parkes:

    Agree.
    He also said it was payback for the Falklands war. Where friends of mine fought to regain our sovereign territory after an illegal invasion & he cheated and won a football match. I know which matters most. He won't be missed.
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