Diego Armando Maradona's shirt from the 1990 World Cup final is a sacred treasure. The Argentinian Football Association wanted to retire the number 10 when Maradona hung up his boots. Having to follow in the footsteps of a football genius was a burden those in charge did not want to impose on future generations of players. Even though the request was refused by FIFA, one thing is certain: the diminutive football giant is one of the greatest players of all time.
At the 1986 World Cup, Maradona was at the peak of his ability, winning the trophy for Argentina almost single-handedly. One of his two goals in the quarter-final sums this up perfectly. His solo effort past half the England team was voted FIFA World Cup Goal of the Century. His second goal of the game, however, stands for Maradona's less glorious, scandal-ridden side. The Argentina No10 beat England's No1 with a header. Or so it seemed. In fact, Maradona used his hand to score. Some called him a "rascal", others a "cheat". He himself put it like this: "It was the hand of God".
Maradona had to manoeuvre his way out of several tricky situations off the pitch, too. During his spell at SSC Napoli, he was alleged to have links with the mafia. He succumbed to drugs while still a player and later suffered serious health problems due to alcohol abuse. Despite all this, he remains admired by football fans across the world. In his homeland, a church was even founded in his honour, the "Iglesia maradoniana".
During his spectacular playing career Maradona twice crossed paths with the German national team in decisive matches. In the 1986 World Cup final, the Germans were unable to stop him. Four years later, however, Maradona met his match in the shape of Guido Buchwald. The Stuttgart player had the tournament of his life at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, marking the Argentina superstar out of the game in the final. The defensive specialist also caught the eye with his unsuspected technical ability, prompting his teammates to give him the nickname "Diego", truly the highest possible accolade.
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