Diego Maradona

Born in 1960 in Villa Fiorito, Argentina, Diego Armando Maradona went on to almost single-handedly lead his country to one World Cup Final victory in 1986 and then back to the Final four years later where they were beaten by West Germany. As well as leading unfashionable Napoli to two Italian League titles and breaking the world record transfer fee when he joined Barcelona in 1982, Maradona went on to become regarded as perhaps the greatest footballer who ever played the game.

With such great talent on the pitch came a similar talent for attracting trouble to himself off of it. His sublime second goal against England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico is often overlooked seeing as it followed his infamous “Hand of God” opener where Maradona blatantly punched the ball past Peter Shilton in the England goal and helped Argentina to a 2-1 victory on their way to winning the tournament.

A 15 month suspension from football in 1992 for cocaine led to his departure from his beloved Napoli and two years later he was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the USA having tested positive in a drugs test for ephedrine doping. Diego claimed that he has been given the backing of FIFA to take the drug for weight loss purposes so that the World Cup wouldn't lose appeal without him in it only to see them renege on their promise and have him sent home in further disgrace. This claim has obviously been vigorously denied by FIFA.

Scandal continues to follow him in Naples where he was embroiled in an illegitimate child row where he refused DNA tests to ascertain paternity and further questions were asked about his friendships with members of the Naples mafia. Whether it's opening fire on waiting journalists with an airgun or gaining copious amounts of weight and then having radical gastric bypass surgery to lose it again or having a heart attack following a cocaine overdose, Diego Maradona maintains his position as one of world football's most brilliant and troubled enigmas.

Club Career Appearances and Goals:

1976-1981 Argentinos Juniors - 166 appearances, 116 goals
1981-1982 Boca Juniors - 42 appearances, 28 goals
1982-1984 FC Barcelona - 58 appearances, 38 goals
1984-1991 SSC Napoli - 259 appearances, 115 goals
1992-1993 Sevilla FC - 29 appearances, 7 goals
1993 Newell's Old Boys - 5 appearances, 0 goals
1995-1997 Boca Juniors - 29 appearances, 7 goals
1976-1997 TOTAL: 588 appearances, 311 goals

Club Honours:

1981 Argentine league (Boca Juniors)
1983 Copa del Rey (FC Barcelona)
1987 Serie A champions (SSC Napoli)
1987 Italian Cup (SSC Napoli)
1988 Italian top-scorer (SSC Napoli)
1989 UEFA Cup (SSC Napoli)
1990 Serie A champions (SSC Napoli)
1991 Italian Super Cup (SSC Napoli)

International Honours:

1979 FIFA World Youth Championship: Winner
1982 FIFA World Cup: Second round (11th place)
1986 FIFA World Cup: Winner
1990 FIFA World Cup: Runner-up
1993 Artemio Franchi Trophy: Winner
1994 FIFA World Cup: Second round (10th place)

Personal Honours - during his career:

1979–1981, 1986 Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year
1979, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992 South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)
1986 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Year
1986 Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA World Cup
1986–1987 Best Footballer in the World (Once)
1986 World Player of the Year (World Soccer Magazine)

Personal Honours - after his retirement:

1996 Golden Ball for services to football (France Football)
1999 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Century
2000 "FIFA best football player of the century", people's choice.
2002 "FIFA Goal of the Century" (1986 (2–1) v. England; second goal)
2005 Argentine Senate "Domingo Faustino Sarmiento" recognition for lifetime achievement.