A legend of twentieth-century soccer, this soccer superstar has been remembered throughout his life as a rival to the legendary status of "King" Pele. Although the jury is still out on who was the better player, when it comes to controversy, passion, conversation and popularity, the "old horse" is undoubtedly one of the best in the soccer world. His distinctive personality, passionate, sometimes crazy, sometimes orderly, good and evil, brave and fragile, all of these are deeply imprinted in his 60-year-long life course, writing a magnificent soccer epic.
His life, both brilliant and tragic, was so dramatic that it is unforgettable, or more precisely, unforgettable. His name is closely linked to soccer, and he is honored as the "Ballon d'Or of the Century" - Diego Maradona.
On October 30, 1960, Diego Maradona came into the world in a slum outside the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. His father was Guarani and his mother was of Italian descent, and Maradona was the fifth in a family of nine children. In such a large family, his father earned a meager income as a porter, and his mother was unemployed. Despite the hardship, Maradona's childhood was a simple one, an experience that became a cherished memory in his life.
Although Maradona has rarely returned to the slum since his rise to fame, he returned to his old home in 2005 when he accompanied director Kuszturica on the filming of the documentary Maradona: Diary of a Kuszturica Fan. Here he fondly remembers his teenage years. Despite his poverty, the family's affection and solidarity gave him endless strength, and this affection became the most solid support in his life.
As a teenager, soccer was Maradona's only pleasure. He played tirelessly, day and night, there is no street light in the slums, they play in the dark. Maradona said that this feeling of playing in the dark greatly enhanced his sense of the ball and his vision of the game. Later, whenever he stepped on the pitch, he would feel the pitch wide and bright, no matter how many people defending, he could always clearly see the route of passing and breaking through, which is the solid foundation laid by his teenage years.
At the age of 8, Maradona was spotted by a scout and quickly recruited to the junior team of the Argentine Youth Sports Club. The scout recalled, "When Diego came for a tryout, I was blown away by his talent and couldn't believe he was only 8 years old. We even suspected that he had brought the wrong ID, but he played like a grown-up. When we confirmed that he was only 8, we immediately decided to sign him."
Maradona spent his teenage years at the Argentine Youth Sports Club. by the age of 12, he had become a caddy in the First Division and was showing off his skills at half-time. by the age of 15, he was rented an apartment in downtown Buenos Aires and moved in with his family. From then on, their fortunes began to change.
Maradona's sister recalled that her brother started supporting his family at the age of 15, carrying a heavy burden all by himself. Maradona also stated that he played soccer in order to buy a house for his parents.At the age of 16, he had already surpassed his peers and was therefore promoted directly to the first team to represent the Argentine Junior Sports Club in the Argentine Primera Division. He became the youngest professional player in the history of the Argentine Primera División, a period that lasted from 1976 to 1981, the first five years of his career.
