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El Diego: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest Footballing Genius
Diego Armando Maradona: hero or villain?
One thing is certain: he was the greatest footballer of his generation - and perhaps of all time. A poor boy from a Buenos Aires shanty-town, his genius with a ball took him to the heights of European and world football, and his struggle with the pressures of life inside and outside the game pulled him right back down again. Never before has Maradona given us his extraordinary story in his own words. Until now.
One thing is certain: he was the greatest footballer of his generation - and perhaps of all time. A poor boy from a Buenos Aires shanty-town, his genius with a ball took him to the heights of European and world football, and his struggle with the pressures of life inside and outside the game pulled him right back down again. Never before has Maradona given us his extraordinary story in his own words. Until now.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2000
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November 25, 2022
Summary
This book deals with the life of the legend, Diego Armando Maradona. Geniuses like Maradona happens very rarely.
Everything from his personal life, his life as a footballer (soccer player) , the problems he had to face due to journalists, managers, drugs, fights, guns, mafias are all written in this book. We can see him swearing multiple times when he was angry in this book. It is because he wrote this autobiography straight from his heart without any filters. This biography gives the reader an experience of reliving all the moments along with Maradona.
Some interesting topics discussed in this book
1) Forbidden to be an artist
Maradona was an artist in football (soccer) who had to suffer a lot for the outstanding talent and work he did on the field.
Marca newspaper reported the news of Goikoetxea fouling Diego Maradona during a match vs. FC Barcelona with the headline "Forbidden to be an artist" and Maradona responded like this to that news
" It was a good summary because at the time, there was a big fight between those of us who played and the ones who.... ran. And I was something like the standard-bearer for those who loved having fun with the ball, right there in the country where they hit hardest.”
2) Debut in the first division meant the possibility of a second pair of trousers for Maradona
Maradona describes his childhood in just one word, "Struggle." . His earlier career was filled with many hardships, and poverty was one of the major obstacles he had to overcome.
"And I’d do my sums: Maybe I could buy myself another pair of trousers, or something else. To me, my debut in the first division meant the possibility of buying a second pair of trousers."
3) Maradona’s love for football
Maradona was so much passionate about football. We can see it in different parts of this book
1)" I'd leave the house at two o'clock with my friend El or my cousin Beto or whoever, and at quarter past two, we'd be playing, on and on, under the most intense heat of the sun. We didn't care about anything."
2) "The first ball I had was the best present I've ever received in my life: my cousin Beto gave it to me. It was a leather number one; I was three years old, and I slept with it hugged to my chest all night."
4) Maradona’s biggest disappointment in the initial part of his career
1978 World Cup in Argentina brought one of the biggest disappointments in Maradona's life
" I think I could have played in the 1978 World Cup: I was up for it, I was readier than I'd ever been. When I found out I hadn't been selected, I cried a lot, I cried so much. Not even at USA '94, with the drug test, did I cry so much. I see both events as terrible injustices. They're different, but they're both injustices. I have never forgiven Menotti for it, nor will I ever – I still feel he let the tortoise get away from him - but I've never hated him. Hating is not the same as not forgiving. In spite of everything, I'll never forget the wisdom El Flaco Menotti showed in guiding me over the years."
5) His straightforward nature
Maradona was a sort of person whose face reflected his heart. He always tried to express his feelings.
"People always say that forwards shouldn't complain, but I also felt that I wasn't getting the ball as much at Boca as I had at Argentinos, and I wasn't afraid to make my feelings known. I told my team-mates that we needed to work together, that we needed to play off each other more. That's what I was like. I kept quiet about nothing. If I was sure of what I felt, I said it. So what? Why shouldn't I?"
6) Maradona and drugs
As early as 1982, Diego Maradona was a cocaine user. His tryst with the drugs formed the darkest part of his life. He was suspended for 15 months for cocaine use in 1991-1992. His 1994 World Cup journey came to an end before the end of the group stage when he was expelled for testing positive for five variants of ephedrine, a banned substance. In 1997 he failed a drug test for the third time in six years, putting an end to his playing career.
In his own words, Maradona says, "I have to admit that that's when I got going and in the worst possible way: when you go into it, in fact you're wanting to say 'no' and end up hearing yourself say 'yes.' Because you believe you're going to control it, you're going to be OK ... and then it gets more complicated. Cocaine, instead of motivating you, discourages you, it dulls you ..
7) Was Maradona’s physique suitable for football?
"And also because Giampiero Boniperti, who had been a player and was the president of Juve, had said that someone with a physique like mine wouldn't get anywhere. Well, I got somewhere, didn't I? Football is so beautiful, so unlike anything else, that it finds a way to fit everyone in. Even dwarves like me."
8) Maradona and Napoli, a Heavenly relation
Maradona joining the Napoli in Italy was one of the most important decisions he took in his life. One French News channel reported "The poorest city in Italy, and maybe one of the poorest in Europe, therefore buys the most expensive player in the world." But, Maradona had a different opinion.
"When I went back down the stairs into the tunnel I saw Claudia and I hugged her, weeping. My legs were shaking again, like the time I played my first game in the first division, like the time I started at Boca. Everything had been very intense and Claudia and I knew we were gambling our lives, we knew we were starting over. And we were doing it in a place, in a city, that meant a lot to me. This is why when I talked to the journalists. I said something which came from the bottom of my heart: I want to become the idol of the poor children of Naples, because they are like I was when I lived in Buenos Aires.'
"Then I realized: the stadium was full of workers, southerners the lot of them! Napoli! Napoli! They were screaming. Amazing. We had truly become the club of the working class, of the poor. Even in the north, we could count on the support of the southern workers who lived there."
He proved with his life that he was not an avaricious guy and his assiduous nature and love for working-class people in Napoli showed that he was a down to earth person.
In the six years that followed, he inspired the club to two scudetti—league titles—the only two it has ever won.
9) One of the biggest lessons that big football clubs should learn from Maradona’s life
"To have won Napoli's first scudetto in sixty years was, for me, an incomparable victory. Different from any other, even the 86 World Cup. We built Napoli from the bottom: it was proper workmanship. The scudetto belonged to the whole city, and the people began to realize that there was no reason to be afraid: that it's not the one with the most money who wins but the one who fights the most, who wants it the most."
10) Maradona and La Albiceleste
He loved to play for his country, Argentina, more than for anyone else. He was ready to make any sacrifice for that. In multiple parts of this book, he mentions his travel around the world within a tight schedule to make sure that he played for his country despite being castigated by the Managers and club officials.. His love for Argentina is reflected in multiple parts of this book.
1) "But to me, it wasn't an issue of money: being Argentinian had no price tag."
2) "Our country was once again in a terrible state: the economy and the politics seem to be forever up and down, and this was a downtime. All we did was give the people a little bit of joy, as was always my main objective on the pitch. Not to make people forget the reality of what's going on, but to give them something, a smile, a little fun."
3) "My love for the national squad could overcome everything. “
11) The goal of the century
In the 1986 World Cup quarter-final match against England, Maradona scored his most famous two goals. The first one was severely criticized, which was called the 'Hand of God' goal.
"The second was, as I said, the goal you dream of as a kid. In the potrero, when we did something like that, we used to say we'd made the opponent dizzy, that we'd made them go crazy. It was ... whenever I see it again, I can't believe I managed it, honestly. Not because I scored it, but because it seems a goal like that just isn't possible, a goal that you could dream of but never actually score. Now it's become a legend, and as such there's been all sorts of things said about it, like the fact that I'd thought about my brother's advice to dummy it at the keeper. I didn't, but I did later realize that unconsciously it must have entered my head, because I finished like my brother Turco had told me to a little over six years earlier. As I've said, in 1981, during a tour with the national squad, against England at Wembley, I'd done a very similar move but finished by sidefoodng the ball when the keeper came out. I'd missed by a fraction and was practically celebrating the goal. Turco phoned me and said: 'You moron! You shouldn't have sidefooted it... you should have thrown a dummy, the keeper had already committed himself.' And I answered: You little s***! It's easy for you to say that, you're watching it on the telly!' But he really shut me up: 'No, Pelu, if you'd thrown a dummy, you could've dragged it towards the sideline and finished with your right, do you see?' The brat was seven years old! Well, this time, I finished as my brother wanted."
12) Winning the Mexican World Cup,1986
" I was watching him out of the comer of my eye because I knew it wouldn't be long, it wouldn't be long at all... I was watching Arppi Filho, the little Brazilian referee, and when he put his arms up and blew the final whistle, I went crazy. I started running this way and that. I wanted to hug everybody. In my body, in my heart, and in my soul, I knew I was living the most sublime moment of my career. 29 June, 1986, Azteca Stadium, Mexico; that date and that place are now imprinted on my mind, on my skin. I remember the feel of the cup in my hands; I was shaking it, I was lifting it, I was shaking it, I was kissing it, I was shaking it, I didn't know what I was doing. I lent it to goalie Nery Pumpido for a bit, but I immediately asked for it back. I wanted to be sure it was true - that the World Cup belonged to us, to Argentina."
13) Maradona and Oxford University
"Those people thought us footballers were ignorant. The best reply was given not by me but by the prestigious Oxford University. I was invited to speak at the Union there and the recognition from such an eminent place really was one of the greatest joys of my life. Finally, I found myself standing in front of a load of students from all over the world who applauded me as' if I'd just scored the best goal of my life.”
14) Maradona’s greatest love
Was football Maradona's greatest love? The answer is no, even though football was one of his favorite things. Then what was Maradona's greatest love?
"I loved - and love - playing football, but if football made my daughters cry, I could easily send football to hell. Grateful as I am for everything it's given me, which is everything I have, still, for me, the smiles of Dalmita and Gianinna are way more important." .
15) Maradona and Ayrton Senna
"In Formula 1, the person I liked the most was Ayrton Senna. If I ever have a son, he will be called Ayrton, as a homage to him. I promised him that at his graveside, when I visited it in Sao Paolo. He was the greatest because he never held back: in the rain, when everyone else lifted their foot off, he would accelerate to the full. You need real courage to do that."
16) Maradona and Fidel Castro
"I've also had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, many important people, who are not from the world of sport. Of all of them, I choose one. The one who most impressed me, and I can't see anyone surpassing him, is without doubt Fidel Castro. Every time I see him, I still get nervous, I'm moved, emotional.
I felt like I'd been talking to an encyclopedia. Seeing him was like touching the sky with my hands. He's a beast who knows about everything and his presence allows you to understand, just by looking at him, how he did what he did with ten soldiers and three rifles.
And, well, what he's done for me during recent times is indescribable. I like to say that for this whole being alive thing, I can only thank the two Beards: God and Fidel."
My favourite lines from this book
"Once, a Dutchman told me he thought that second goal in 1986 was the only miracle of the twentieth century. He was dead serious. ”
"I thought about everything that had happened to me in just a couple of years. And a phrase stayed in my soul: ' People have to understand that Maradona isn't a happiness-making machine."
"I've always had faith in myself. The thing about football is you have to prove something every day. ”
"I m free, I'm free, I'm happy. At last, you'll be able to see me on a pitch, with a ball. At last."
Rating
5/5 Thank you, Maradona, for becoming an icon, a role model, a legend for millions of people. Thank you, Maradona, for writing this brilliant autobiography straight from your heart.
"Maradó, Maradó",
nació la mano de Dios,
"Maradó, Maradó".
Llenó alegría en el pueblo,
regó de gloria este suelo...
Olé, olé, olé, olé, Diego, Diego..
This book deals with the life of the legend, Diego Armando Maradona. Geniuses like Maradona happens very rarely.
Everything from his personal life, his life as a footballer (soccer player) , the problems he had to face due to journalists, managers, drugs, fights, guns, mafias are all written in this book. We can see him swearing multiple times when he was angry in this book. It is because he wrote this autobiography straight from his heart without any filters. This biography gives the reader an experience of reliving all the moments along with Maradona.
Some interesting topics discussed in this book
1) Forbidden to be an artist
Maradona was an artist in football (soccer) who had to suffer a lot for the outstanding talent and work he did on the field.
Marca newspaper reported the news of Goikoetxea fouling Diego Maradona during a match vs. FC Barcelona with the headline "Forbidden to be an artist" and Maradona responded like this to that news
" It was a good summary because at the time, there was a big fight between those of us who played and the ones who.... ran. And I was something like the standard-bearer for those who loved having fun with the ball, right there in the country where they hit hardest.”
2) Debut in the first division meant the possibility of a second pair of trousers for Maradona
Maradona describes his childhood in just one word, "Struggle." . His earlier career was filled with many hardships, and poverty was one of the major obstacles he had to overcome.
"And I’d do my sums: Maybe I could buy myself another pair of trousers, or something else. To me, my debut in the first division meant the possibility of buying a second pair of trousers."
3) Maradona’s love for football
Maradona was so much passionate about football. We can see it in different parts of this book
1)" I'd leave the house at two o'clock with my friend El or my cousin Beto or whoever, and at quarter past two, we'd be playing, on and on, under the most intense heat of the sun. We didn't care about anything."
2) "The first ball I had was the best present I've ever received in my life: my cousin Beto gave it to me. It was a leather number one; I was three years old, and I slept with it hugged to my chest all night."
4) Maradona’s biggest disappointment in the initial part of his career
1978 World Cup in Argentina brought one of the biggest disappointments in Maradona's life
" I think I could have played in the 1978 World Cup: I was up for it, I was readier than I'd ever been. When I found out I hadn't been selected, I cried a lot, I cried so much. Not even at USA '94, with the drug test, did I cry so much. I see both events as terrible injustices. They're different, but they're both injustices. I have never forgiven Menotti for it, nor will I ever – I still feel he let the tortoise get away from him - but I've never hated him. Hating is not the same as not forgiving. In spite of everything, I'll never forget the wisdom El Flaco Menotti showed in guiding me over the years."
5) His straightforward nature
Maradona was a sort of person whose face reflected his heart. He always tried to express his feelings.
"People always say that forwards shouldn't complain, but I also felt that I wasn't getting the ball as much at Boca as I had at Argentinos, and I wasn't afraid to make my feelings known. I told my team-mates that we needed to work together, that we needed to play off each other more. That's what I was like. I kept quiet about nothing. If I was sure of what I felt, I said it. So what? Why shouldn't I?"
6) Maradona and drugs
As early as 1982, Diego Maradona was a cocaine user. His tryst with the drugs formed the darkest part of his life. He was suspended for 15 months for cocaine use in 1991-1992. His 1994 World Cup journey came to an end before the end of the group stage when he was expelled for testing positive for five variants of ephedrine, a banned substance. In 1997 he failed a drug test for the third time in six years, putting an end to his playing career.
In his own words, Maradona says, "I have to admit that that's when I got going and in the worst possible way: when you go into it, in fact you're wanting to say 'no' and end up hearing yourself say 'yes.' Because you believe you're going to control it, you're going to be OK ... and then it gets more complicated. Cocaine, instead of motivating you, discourages you, it dulls you ..
7) Was Maradona’s physique suitable for football?
"And also because Giampiero Boniperti, who had been a player and was the president of Juve, had said that someone with a physique like mine wouldn't get anywhere. Well, I got somewhere, didn't I? Football is so beautiful, so unlike anything else, that it finds a way to fit everyone in. Even dwarves like me."
8) Maradona and Napoli, a Heavenly relation
Maradona joining the Napoli in Italy was one of the most important decisions he took in his life. One French News channel reported "The poorest city in Italy, and maybe one of the poorest in Europe, therefore buys the most expensive player in the world." But, Maradona had a different opinion.
"When I went back down the stairs into the tunnel I saw Claudia and I hugged her, weeping. My legs were shaking again, like the time I played my first game in the first division, like the time I started at Boca. Everything had been very intense and Claudia and I knew we were gambling our lives, we knew we were starting over. And we were doing it in a place, in a city, that meant a lot to me. This is why when I talked to the journalists. I said something which came from the bottom of my heart: I want to become the idol of the poor children of Naples, because they are like I was when I lived in Buenos Aires.'
"Then I realized: the stadium was full of workers, southerners the lot of them! Napoli! Napoli! They were screaming. Amazing. We had truly become the club of the working class, of the poor. Even in the north, we could count on the support of the southern workers who lived there."
He proved with his life that he was not an avaricious guy and his assiduous nature and love for working-class people in Napoli showed that he was a down to earth person.
In the six years that followed, he inspired the club to two scudetti—league titles—the only two it has ever won.
9) One of the biggest lessons that big football clubs should learn from Maradona’s life
"To have won Napoli's first scudetto in sixty years was, for me, an incomparable victory. Different from any other, even the 86 World Cup. We built Napoli from the bottom: it was proper workmanship. The scudetto belonged to the whole city, and the people began to realize that there was no reason to be afraid: that it's not the one with the most money who wins but the one who fights the most, who wants it the most."
10) Maradona and La Albiceleste
He loved to play for his country, Argentina, more than for anyone else. He was ready to make any sacrifice for that. In multiple parts of this book, he mentions his travel around the world within a tight schedule to make sure that he played for his country despite being castigated by the Managers and club officials.. His love for Argentina is reflected in multiple parts of this book.
1) "But to me, it wasn't an issue of money: being Argentinian had no price tag."
2) "Our country was once again in a terrible state: the economy and the politics seem to be forever up and down, and this was a downtime. All we did was give the people a little bit of joy, as was always my main objective on the pitch. Not to make people forget the reality of what's going on, but to give them something, a smile, a little fun."
3) "My love for the national squad could overcome everything. “
11) The goal of the century
In the 1986 World Cup quarter-final match against England, Maradona scored his most famous two goals. The first one was severely criticized, which was called the 'Hand of God' goal.
"The second was, as I said, the goal you dream of as a kid. In the potrero, when we did something like that, we used to say we'd made the opponent dizzy, that we'd made them go crazy. It was ... whenever I see it again, I can't believe I managed it, honestly. Not because I scored it, but because it seems a goal like that just isn't possible, a goal that you could dream of but never actually score. Now it's become a legend, and as such there's been all sorts of things said about it, like the fact that I'd thought about my brother's advice to dummy it at the keeper. I didn't, but I did later realize that unconsciously it must have entered my head, because I finished like my brother Turco had told me to a little over six years earlier. As I've said, in 1981, during a tour with the national squad, against England at Wembley, I'd done a very similar move but finished by sidefoodng the ball when the keeper came out. I'd missed by a fraction and was practically celebrating the goal. Turco phoned me and said: 'You moron! You shouldn't have sidefooted it... you should have thrown a dummy, the keeper had already committed himself.' And I answered: You little s***! It's easy for you to say that, you're watching it on the telly!' But he really shut me up: 'No, Pelu, if you'd thrown a dummy, you could've dragged it towards the sideline and finished with your right, do you see?' The brat was seven years old! Well, this time, I finished as my brother wanted."
12) Winning the Mexican World Cup,1986
" I was watching him out of the comer of my eye because I knew it wouldn't be long, it wouldn't be long at all... I was watching Arppi Filho, the little Brazilian referee, and when he put his arms up and blew the final whistle, I went crazy. I started running this way and that. I wanted to hug everybody. In my body, in my heart, and in my soul, I knew I was living the most sublime moment of my career. 29 June, 1986, Azteca Stadium, Mexico; that date and that place are now imprinted on my mind, on my skin. I remember the feel of the cup in my hands; I was shaking it, I was lifting it, I was shaking it, I was kissing it, I was shaking it, I didn't know what I was doing. I lent it to goalie Nery Pumpido for a bit, but I immediately asked for it back. I wanted to be sure it was true - that the World Cup belonged to us, to Argentina."
13) Maradona and Oxford University
"Those people thought us footballers were ignorant. The best reply was given not by me but by the prestigious Oxford University. I was invited to speak at the Union there and the recognition from such an eminent place really was one of the greatest joys of my life. Finally, I found myself standing in front of a load of students from all over the world who applauded me as' if I'd just scored the best goal of my life.”
14) Maradona’s greatest love
Was football Maradona's greatest love? The answer is no, even though football was one of his favorite things. Then what was Maradona's greatest love?
"I loved - and love - playing football, but if football made my daughters cry, I could easily send football to hell. Grateful as I am for everything it's given me, which is everything I have, still, for me, the smiles of Dalmita and Gianinna are way more important." .
15) Maradona and Ayrton Senna
"In Formula 1, the person I liked the most was Ayrton Senna. If I ever have a son, he will be called Ayrton, as a homage to him. I promised him that at his graveside, when I visited it in Sao Paolo. He was the greatest because he never held back: in the rain, when everyone else lifted their foot off, he would accelerate to the full. You need real courage to do that."
16) Maradona and Fidel Castro
"I've also had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, many important people, who are not from the world of sport. Of all of them, I choose one. The one who most impressed me, and I can't see anyone surpassing him, is without doubt Fidel Castro. Every time I see him, I still get nervous, I'm moved, emotional.
I felt like I'd been talking to an encyclopedia. Seeing him was like touching the sky with my hands. He's a beast who knows about everything and his presence allows you to understand, just by looking at him, how he did what he did with ten soldiers and three rifles.
And, well, what he's done for me during recent times is indescribable. I like to say that for this whole being alive thing, I can only thank the two Beards: God and Fidel."
My favourite lines from this book
"Once, a Dutchman told me he thought that second goal in 1986 was the only miracle of the twentieth century. He was dead serious. ”
"I thought about everything that had happened to me in just a couple of years. And a phrase stayed in my soul: ' People have to understand that Maradona isn't a happiness-making machine."
"I've always had faith in myself. The thing about football is you have to prove something every day. ”
"I m free, I'm free, I'm happy. At last, you'll be able to see me on a pitch, with a ball. At last."
Rating
5/5 Thank you, Maradona, for becoming an icon, a role model, a legend for millions of people. Thank you, Maradona, for writing this brilliant autobiography straight from your heart.
"Maradó, Maradó",
nació la mano de Dios,
"Maradó, Maradó".
Llenó alegría en el pueblo,
regó de gloria este suelo...
Olé, olé, olé, olé, Diego, Diego..
April 15, 2018
“Poor old Diego, for so many years we have told him repeatedly. ‘You’re a God’, ‘You’re a star’, ‘You’re our salvation’, that we forgot to tell him the most important thing: ‘You’re a man’.”
So said Jorge Valdano, one of Maradona’s team mates. They say that whoever you regard as the best player ever to have played the game, depends on the era in which you grew up in. Like millions of others I can still remember watching Mexico 86, the tournament where one Diego Armando Maradona cemented his status on the grandest of global stages as the greatest player in the world at the time, with his overall performance and that goal against England, as well as winning the World Cup with Argentina, he was also awarded the Golden Ball by FIFA.
This was initially published in Spanish and the text is flavoured with Maradona’s colourful use of Lunfardo, and we get treated to such wonderful terminology like ‘Take the cat’s milk’, ‘give the dog its face back’ and ‘let the tortoise get away’ which gives an added authenticity to the feel of the biography. There is a bizarre picture of Maradona included in here that shows him standing naked in a bath, holding his hands over his manhood and underneath it reads, “I have nothing to hide, nothing.” This blatant contradiction between actions and words really sums up the man overall.
We get some interesting background into his happy time at Boca Juniors, though his time at Barcelona would prove to be a lot less happier, as he endured a broken ankle, hepatitis and there was no love lost for the football director Nunez. Of course it was Napoli, where Maradona played his finest club football and enjoyed his most successful period. Looking back, at the sheer depth of quality of world class players from around the globe who were playing in the Serie A at the time, you really get a flavour for the intensity and expectations all round. You had Platini at Juventus, Rummenigge at Inter, Laudrup at Lazio, Zico at Udinese, Socrates and Passarella at Fiorentina, Falco at Roma and Elkjaer at Verona, these were some of the best players in the world and many of them still feature high in countless ‘best ever’ lists around the planet.
In spite of his devastation at not being picked for the 78 World Cup, Argentina still went onto win it without him. He soon bounced back when he played a significant part in the winning side of the FIFA World Youth Championship World Cup (Now FIFA U-20 World Cup) in Japan in 1979. Where he claims that it was the best team he was ever part of. He opens up about the huge disappointment of the 82 World Cup, where he was booted around, not least by Italy’s Claudio Gentile and then being sent off during the 3-1 defeat to Brazil, after “kicking Batista in the balls”.
By the mid-80s he was earning millions of dollars a year, and allegedly turned down a $100 million contract, when IMG offered to buy his image rights. Maradona complains about how many games he played in, this was certainly the case in 1982 when he featured in no less than eight matches in the 21 days between Wednesday 6 and the 27 January US, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico and Guatemala.
He certainly is never shy to claim credit for any success he was part of, “That’s why, today, any Neapolitan can tell you: Those teams weren’t built by the directors, they were built by Maradona.” He also says, “There are still people who think managers win matches: they’re wrong. There are no tactics without players, and I think that’s not open to debate.” Talking about his on-going fallout with Daniel Passarella, he insists “The true great captain, was, is and always will be me.”
He makes many other provocative claims like his thoughts on Argentina’s opening game of Italia 90, “Cameroon didn’t win, Argentina lost.” This childish attitude is not only insulting to a strong and deserving Cameroon side, but it reveals the extent of his self-delusion. Yes Cameroon did win and yes Argentina did lose. He and Argentina had a messy, inconsistent tournament at best, they managed only one win in the group stages, finishing a poor third, scraping through to the knockout stages. They were outplayed by Brazil but won 1-0 and then couldn’t score against Yugoslavia in the next round and had to rely on penalties. In the semis they couldn’t beat Italy and got through on penalties again. They stumbled into the final of the World Cup having only won 2 games and scoring 5 goals in the entire competition and yet Maradona still believes he was robbed and deserved to win it?
Away from football, he talks about some of his favourite athletes and sports stars in basketball, boxing and F1. He has some recollections of meeting with some other big names like Pope, John Paul II, where he was refreshingly honest as he called the holy one out on some hypocrisy. Though his attitude to Fidel Castro was a bit cringe worthy and really exposed his ignorance of the politics of Cuba in favour of some idealised notion he has built of the place.
On one hand he is shamelessly unapologetic and proud of repeatedly hand balling at World Cups (he admits to doing it against the Soviet Union in 1990), but seems incredibly sensitive to being on the receiving end of others cheating him, when they persistently boot and kick him. Something that has drastically changed since Maradona’s era is that creative players and strikers are now a lot more protected and referees a lot stricter. Back in the 70s and 80s some of the tackling and fouls defenders were allowed to get away were routinely shocking, and to be fair he took a lot of hits from a lot of teams over the years and the offenders mostly got away with it.
Maradona himself seems to be oblivious to the concept of boundaries or self-restraint, in one sense he wants to tell the manager what players to buy, who to sell and what team to pick. If he doesn’t get his way it doesn’t take much to get him in a huff, refusing to play, is one common reaction. And yet when he later dabbles in management with some overwhelmingly mediocre results, he suddenly changes his tune. He recalls one instance when he was managing at one Argentinian club, the owner came into the dressing room to give some advice, Maradona yelled at him, “You motherf@king fatso, what the f@ck are you coming in here to talk to the players for? ”. And yet he routinely tried to tell them how to do their job when he was a player.
"El Diego" is steeped in tears and tantrums and too often immature petulance dressed as Latin temperament allows Maradona to be indulged far too often by far too many people. Yet as his popularity increases so does his apparent sense of victimhood and entitlement. He comes across as an immensely narcissistic personality, who regularly draws from a deep well of self-pity. After a while the constant melodrama and theatrics is exhausting to read, so god knows what it must be like to deal with first hand.
This is an interesting enough read, but I struggled to warm to Maradona as a person. He is a complex and complicated man with no shortage of demons to battle, but for every crisis or perceived hardship he encounters, there always seems to be another scapegoat or baddie to blame it on instead of taking responsibility himself for it. If only he were as willing to take accountability for his many mistakes as he was for his many achievements, but in there lies the mystery and for many the appeal of the man, that volatility and rebelliousness that many would agree gave him the wonderful football skills he impressed millions with. In the end nobody is perfect and without doubt Maradona remains one of the best footballers to have ever played the game, and for most of the people he brought so much pleasure to that is more than enough and all that really matters to them.
July 4, 2009
While I respect Maradona for being such a fantastic player, that respect is lost the moment he opens his mouth (similar to Pelé). This biography only guarantees that he views himself as God's gift to the world, who would have figured? I couldn't help but roll my eyes on reading how he never forgave César El Flaco Menotti for leaving him off the triumphant 1978 FIFA World Cup winning team. Please Maradona, you were 18 at the time, get over it! Even more shameless is the section at the end of the biography where he rates players highly then denounces them if they have once said a bad thing about him. My only "bronca" about reading this biography is the time I wasted dreadfully reading it.
April 4, 2022
კი ფრიად სუბიექტურია მომენტებში, მაგრამ, რას ვიზამთ, ის არის დიეგო. :)
ძალიან ბევრი ემოცია და სევდა გამახსენა ამ წიგნმა, რის აქ გადმოტანასაც არ დავიწყებ, მაგრამ, თუკი ფეხბურთი გიყვართ და ხელოვნებად მიიჩნევთ, აუცილებლად წაიკითხეთ და ჩემთან ერთად იტირეთ.
ძალიან ბევრი ემოცია და სევდა გამახსენა ამ წიგნმა, რის აქ გადმოტანასაც არ დავიწყებ, მაგრამ, თუკი ფეხბურთი გიყვართ და ხელოვნებად მიიჩნევთ, აუცილებლად წაიკითხეთ და ჩემთან ერთად იტირეთ.
May 23, 2022
El Aleph, Rayuela y Yo soy el Diego, las mayores obras de la literatura argentina
Le quitan los capítulos finales y queda perfecta, pero así y todo, uno siente que está al lado de Maradona mientras él te cuenta su historia.
Le quitan los capítulos finales y queda perfecta, pero así y todo, uno siente que está al lado de Maradona mientras él te cuenta su historia.
December 23, 2020
Μεγάλε Ντιέγκο...
March 26, 2025
Ok honestly, you can’t rate the book, you rate such a great man.
So yes, even though there are many issues the book doesn’t address, and there were scandals that weren’t mentioned, and yes, maybe only 3 stars is about right for the book, for Diego and who he was, I can’t not rate the book 5 stars, so this is the most dishonest rating you’re going to get from me on GR and it goes against my emotions to be honest about this haha.
Please let there be a god because I want to meet him and Pele one day, and I want all of us being happy playing football in heaven.
Apart from my dog, those are the people near the top of my list want to meet as soon as possible, I think only my dog, gran, parents, and a very good family friend would be on my priority afterlife meeting list before those two timeless men. Don’t forget, the Olympics and World Cup connect us so strongly in community, that is why I believe this review and those wishes is far from being silly or mad.
So yes, even though there are many issues the book doesn’t address, and there were scandals that weren’t mentioned, and yes, maybe only 3 stars is about right for the book, for Diego and who he was, I can’t not rate the book 5 stars, so this is the most dishonest rating you’re going to get from me on GR and it goes against my emotions to be honest about this haha.
Please let there be a god because I want to meet him and Pele one day, and I want all of us being happy playing football in heaven.
Apart from my dog, those are the people near the top of my list want to meet as soon as possible, I think only my dog, gran, parents, and a very good family friend would be on my priority afterlife meeting list before those two timeless men. Don’t forget, the Olympics and World Cup connect us so strongly in community, that is why I believe this review and those wishes is far from being silly or mad.
August 1, 2024
من كتر حبي لمارادونا انا خلصته في قعده. مارادونا بالنسبالي هو أعظم شخصيه للاعب كوره هتيجي ، انا عاصرت ميسي ( هو أعظم لاعب شافته عينيا ) ، بس دايما بميل للجانب الضعيف للشوارعنجي ، ميسي شخص خجول لا يتكلم فعمري ماعرفنا حالته ايه سواء كبيت او غيره حتي مع القول عمرنا ماحسينا ده ، عكس لما مارادونا بيقولها صريحه لجماهير إيطاليا يولاد العاهره في مشهد ايقوني. مارادونا بالنسبالي هو فارس الكره الاوروبيه ، زي ماحبيت فيلم الحريف وشخصيه فارس فمارادونا هو الوجه الثاني من العمله، شخصيه مكتوبه من محمد خان بحق
December 31, 2022
ما وراء أسطورية مارادونا الكروية الكثير من الآلام و الإحباطات و البؤس و الانتكاسات
عالم كرة القدم يكشفه لك دييجو بكل تناقضاته و فساده و مصالحه السياسية و الاقتصادية و هو نفسه ليس بريئاً و ملاكاً في هذا العالم بل هو جاني و مجني عليه
لكن حياته و فقره و كفاحه الكروي كان لوحة آسرة و مؤلمة في نفس الوقت
عالم كرة القدم يكشفه لك دييجو بكل تناقضاته و فساده و مصالحه السياسية و الاقتصادية و هو نفسه ليس بريئاً و ملاكاً في هذا العالم بل هو جاني و مجني عليه
لكن حياته و فقره و كفاحه الكروي كان لوحة آسرة و مؤلمة في نفس الوقت
November 23, 2020
Este libro es más lindo que gol de Diego a los ingleses.
Dejo dos frases que me encantaron pero hay muchas más para destacar.
"Es bárbaro recorrer el pasado cuando venís desde muy abajo y sabes que todo lo que fuiste, sos o serás, es nada más que lucha."
"Lo que nadie entendió, nunca, fue que nuestra fuerza y nuestra unión había nacido de ahí, de la bronca ... De la bronca que nos daba haber tenido que luchar contra todo. Así tenía que ser ¿No?, ¡Si era un equipo mío! Un equipo hecho desde abajo y contra todos".
Y de yapa la intro de la canción de Los piojos, que creo que representa de manera acertada no solo el libro, si no también a Diego:
Dicen que escapó de un sueño,
en casi, su mejor gambeta
que ni los sueños respeta,
tan lleno va de coraje
sin demasiado ropaje,
y sin ninguna careta
Dicen que escapó este mozo,
del sueño de los sin jeta
que a los poderosos reta
y ataca a los más villanos
sin más armas en la mano,
que un "diez" en la camiseta.
Dejo dos frases que me encantaron pero hay muchas más para destacar.
"Es bárbaro recorrer el pasado cuando venís desde muy abajo y sabes que todo lo que fuiste, sos o serás, es nada más que lucha."
"Lo que nadie entendió, nunca, fue que nuestra fuerza y nuestra unión había nacido de ahí, de la bronca ... De la bronca que nos daba haber tenido que luchar contra todo. Así tenía que ser ¿No?, ¡Si era un equipo mío! Un equipo hecho desde abajo y contra todos".
Y de yapa la intro de la canción de Los piojos, que creo que representa de manera acertada no solo el libro, si no también a Diego:
Dicen que escapó de un sueño,
en casi, su mejor gambeta
que ni los sueños respeta,
tan lleno va de coraje
sin demasiado ropaje,
y sin ninguna careta
Dicen que escapó este mozo,
del sueño de los sin jeta
que a los poderosos reta
y ataca a los más villanos
sin más armas en la mano,
que un "diez" en la camiseta.
April 17, 2015
The WORST book. But the BEST worst book.
September 13, 2022
¿Qué poder decir de Diego Armando Maradona que ya no se haya dicho? ¿Cómo poder hablar del mejor jugador de fútbol de todos los tiempos y máxima exponente de este deporte? Vaya tarea.
Yo Soy el Diego de la Gente, la historia del pelusa contada por él mismo pero, ¿de qué planeta viniste barrilete cósmico? Maradona con una peculiar forma de narrar nos va llevando de la mano por un viaje desde sus orígenes en Villa Fiorito, hasta llegar a convertirse en el más grande futbolista de la historia.
En esta autobiografía el Diego lo cuenta todo, no se calla nada, sus ascensos, las caídas, como era su día a día en Napoli, momentos polémicos, la gloria alcanzada dentro del fútbol, como una persona nunca fue capaz de renunciar a sus sueños hasta conseguirlo. El libro se va narrando de una manera lineal, muy ágil y muy divertida ya que los acontecimientos así lo ameritan, cosa que hace que el lector quede atrapado entre anécdotas bien contadas y detalladas. Nos conseguimos con una estructura de capítulos medios donde el lector incapaz de hacer una pausa se ve superado por la lectura hasta el punto de darse cuenta que el libro ha llegado a su fin.
Para un maradoniano este libro es una verdadera joya. La historia del Diego es totalmente deslumbrante, su irreverencia, ese rebelde que desafió a los más poderosos de todos los sectores, ese hombre tenaz y con gallardía, el que nunca se vendió y es más argentino de todos los argentinos.
En lo particular es la segunda vez que leo esta biografía y me he conseguido con muchas cosas nuevas que ya había quizás olvidado y que he podido refrescar y que a su vez avivan el amor y el cariño que se puede sentir por el hombre al que jamás se le escapó la tortuga.
Yo Soy el Diego de la Gente, la historia del pelusa contada por él mismo pero, ¿de qué planeta viniste barrilete cósmico? Maradona con una peculiar forma de narrar nos va llevando de la mano por un viaje desde sus orígenes en Villa Fiorito, hasta llegar a convertirse en el más grande futbolista de la historia.
En esta autobiografía el Diego lo cuenta todo, no se calla nada, sus ascensos, las caídas, como era su día a día en Napoli, momentos polémicos, la gloria alcanzada dentro del fútbol, como una persona nunca fue capaz de renunciar a sus sueños hasta conseguirlo. El libro se va narrando de una manera lineal, muy ágil y muy divertida ya que los acontecimientos así lo ameritan, cosa que hace que el lector quede atrapado entre anécdotas bien contadas y detalladas. Nos conseguimos con una estructura de capítulos medios donde el lector incapaz de hacer una pausa se ve superado por la lectura hasta el punto de darse cuenta que el libro ha llegado a su fin.
Para un maradoniano este libro es una verdadera joya. La historia del Diego es totalmente deslumbrante, su irreverencia, ese rebelde que desafió a los más poderosos de todos los sectores, ese hombre tenaz y con gallardía, el que nunca se vendió y es más argentino de todos los argentinos.
En lo particular es la segunda vez que leo esta biografía y me he conseguido con muchas cosas nuevas que ya había quizás olvidado y que he podido refrescar y que a su vez avivan el amor y el cariño que se puede sentir por el hombre al que jamás se le escapó la tortuga.
December 20, 2020
Iako sam premlada da ga se sjecam, oduvijek sam preko svog tate znala za Maradonu, a s vremenom ga i zavoljela. Ono sto sam znala o njemu i njegovoj karijeri dovoljno me fasciniralo da procitam i istrazim malo vise pa sam naravno krenula s autobiografijom i ona mi je sjajna! Imam dojam da sam kroz nju postigla upravo ono sto sam i htjela - upoznala Maradonu kroz sav njegov ego, uspone i padove, tezak temperament i nogometnu genijalnost. U autobiografiji se nalazi najviše detalja o njegovoj karijeri i nogometu, sto mozda dezurne tracere i ne zanima previse, medjutim to je po meni tocno ono po cemu zelim pamtiti Maradonu.
October 22, 2023
ბევრჯერ დავიწყე რევიუს წერა, მაგრამ ვერ გადმოვცემ სათქმელს, ძალიან ბევრი დამიგროვდა. მოკლედ ვიტყვი, რომ საკმაოდ კარგია, ბევრ რამეზე დაგაფიქრებს და სულ სხვა თვალით დაგანახებს ბევრ საკითხს. დარწმუნებული ვარ, რომ არგენტინელებს მესიზე მეტად მარადონა უყვართ და კითხვაზე- რატომ?, ამ წიგნში იპოვით პასუხს.
November 26, 2020
There has to be better Maradona books out there, hopefully I'll pick up a better one next. Seemingly dictated by Deigo then translated into English, the book goes into detail about countless tournaments & matches but then skips over pivotal moments in his life, his run in with journalists & an air rifle gets a single footnote at the bottom of a page or his 15 month drug ban only a few paragraphs. I was expecting a better read given the extraordinary life he led.
Gutted to be giving this such a low rating, especially now but this book doesn't do the great man justice. RIP Diego.
Gutted to be giving this such a low rating, especially now but this book doesn't do the great man justice. RIP Diego.
March 25, 2020
An insight into Maradona’s view of Maradona. Take it with a pinch of salt. Entertaining nonetheless.
November 10, 2022
"Empiezo este libro en La Habana. Por fin me decidí a contar todo. No se, pero siempre me parece que quedan cosas por decir. B!Que raro! Con todo lo que ya dije, no estoy seguro de haber contado lo importante, lo mas importante."
LO BUENO: Tiene sus momentos para gente que le guste el futbol, ponerle voz a hechos como los goles contra Inglaterra , su debut, las peleas con técnicos o empresarios, como sufría las lesiones...esa parte que siempre es escondida, esos dolores físicos que se arrastran por años .
LO MALO: Ah, lo malo de muchas biografias es que quieren quedar bien con todo el mundo, y acá no es la excepción, todo el mundo esta contra el, la mafia del futbol, los árbitros, los dirigentes, que si Redondo estudiaba era malo para el porque lo hacia sentir un ignorante, si lo hacían sentir mal amenazaba irse , lloraba, todo es un drama...pero cuando el actuaba mal, no, no era mal, es porque era algo de picardía y tocaba aplaudirlo, era el mejor capitán del mundo, los que le criticaban algo era porque no lo conocían o le tenían envidia...los médicos no sabian, todo estaba en su contra...y uno se aburre de esa autocumplaciencia por mas de 300 paginas.
LO BUENO: Tiene sus momentos para gente que le guste el futbol, ponerle voz a hechos como los goles contra Inglaterra , su debut, las peleas con técnicos o empresarios, como sufría las lesiones...esa parte que siempre es escondida, esos dolores físicos que se arrastran por años .
LO MALO: Ah, lo malo de muchas biografias es que quieren quedar bien con todo el mundo, y acá no es la excepción, todo el mundo esta contra el, la mafia del futbol, los árbitros, los dirigentes, que si Redondo estudiaba era malo para el porque lo hacia sentir un ignorante, si lo hacían sentir mal amenazaba irse , lloraba, todo es un drama...pero cuando el actuaba mal, no, no era mal, es porque era algo de picardía y tocaba aplaudirlo, era el mejor capitán del mundo, los que le criticaban algo era porque no lo conocían o le tenían envidia...los médicos no sabian, todo estaba en su contra...y uno se aburre de esa autocumplaciencia por mas de 300 paginas.
July 4, 2018
Este es un libro que podría recomendar a los que son fanáticos de Maradona, este libro ha sido bueno, cuenta su vida desde sus humildes orígenes hasta llegar a ser el número en su paso por el Boca Juniors, Europa y la Selección Argentina, sin embargo uno se da cuenta de que Diego en su biografía esconde cosas, como esos episodios oscuros que ha tenido como su adicción a las drogas o sus escándalos y resta puntos al libro si pretende contar su vida y ser sincero. En fin supongo que demos recordar al Diego como uno de los mejores futbolistas de la historia, por lo que en ese sentido cumple muy bien en la biografía, después de todo en la parte futbolística es lo que importa y resulto satisfactorio en esa parte.
May 20, 2016
La Biblia
November 16, 2018
The best footballer of all time in my eyes, and a great book does him justice
February 6, 2025
Willing to fight any Thermos-head who thinks Pele was better.
RIP EL DIEGO.
And don’t worry, mate. The kid eventually won it in 2022.
RIP EL DIEGO.
And don’t worry, mate. The kid eventually won it in 2022.
May 27, 2025
"Yo soy el Diego" es mucho más que una autobiografía deportiva: es una inmersión directa en el mito de Diego Armando Maradona, contada con su propia voz, sin filtros ni artificios. El libro recoge sus recuerdos, pasiones, batallas y contradicciones con la crudeza y la intensidad que lo caracterizaron dentro y fuera de la cancha. No es un relato pulido ni estilizado, pero sí profundamente auténtico.
Los primeros diez capítulos son especialmente notables. En ellos, Maradona reconstruye su infancia en Villa Fiorito, su irrupción en Argentinos Juniors, el paso por Boca y sus primeros años en la selección argentina. Estas páginas tienen una fuerza emocional difícil de igualar, no solo por lo que narran, sino por cómo lo narran. Maradona convierte su historia en una épica de los márgenes, de la rebeldía y del talento natural que, a fuerza de voluntad, desafía las estructuras. Es el Diego niño, el que juega descalzo en el barro, el que le habla a la pelota como si fuera una extensión de su cuerpo. Ese relato conmueve y construye, paso a paso, la leyenda.
Más adelante, el tono se vuelve más áspero y defensivo, a medida que aparecen los conflictos con la prensa, la política y las drogas. Pero incluso en esos momentos, el relato mantiene su interés por la figura carismática y contradictoria que fue Maradona. El texto nunca busca disculpas ni justificaciones: se presenta como es, con sus luces y sombras.
Le otorgo una calificación de 4/5. Es un documento imprescindible para entender no solo la trayectoria del mejor futbolista de su generación, sino también el fenómeno cultural y social que encarnó. Un libro tan imperfecto y desbordado como su autor, pero imposible de ignorar.
Los primeros diez capítulos son especialmente notables. En ellos, Maradona reconstruye su infancia en Villa Fiorito, su irrupción en Argentinos Juniors, el paso por Boca y sus primeros años en la selección argentina. Estas páginas tienen una fuerza emocional difícil de igualar, no solo por lo que narran, sino por cómo lo narran. Maradona convierte su historia en una épica de los márgenes, de la rebeldía y del talento natural que, a fuerza de voluntad, desafía las estructuras. Es el Diego niño, el que juega descalzo en el barro, el que le habla a la pelota como si fuera una extensión de su cuerpo. Ese relato conmueve y construye, paso a paso, la leyenda.
Más adelante, el tono se vuelve más áspero y defensivo, a medida que aparecen los conflictos con la prensa, la política y las drogas. Pero incluso en esos momentos, el relato mantiene su interés por la figura carismática y contradictoria que fue Maradona. El texto nunca busca disculpas ni justificaciones: se presenta como es, con sus luces y sombras.
Le otorgo una calificación de 4/5. Es un documento imprescindible para entender no solo la trayectoria del mejor futbolista de su generación, sino también el fenómeno cultural y social que encarnó. Un libro tan imperfecto y desbordado como su autor, pero imposible de ignorar.
April 30, 2024
Qué decirte. Despues de leer este libro no voy a poder sentir y pensar lo mismo sobre Maradona. Antes lo veía como un icono pop mas, argentino sí, pero uno mas. Ahora creo que nadie cómo él ha representado lo mejor y lo peor del ser humano argentino. Del ser humano me animaría a decir. Es la expresión misma de la contradicción humana, de la que todos estamos hechos.
El libro está contado con su mirada, él nos habla, nos cuenta su vida futbolistica desde su punto de vista, con su impronta arravalera, rebelde, descarnada, emocional, sensible, tristona, reaccionaria, melancólica, paranoide, conspirativa, politica y social.
Él es el primero que le agrega épica a su historia. Él hace que cada momento de su vida, triunfo y "fracaso", tengan dimensiones épicas. Cabe preguntarse qué fue primero, si el huevo o la gallina: Los medios, la prensa, la gente le dio epica a su carrera, por su talento en la cancha y su actitud rebelde adentro y afuera? o fue él que con su forma de ser y de jugar fue forjando esa imagen trágica/cómica griega.
Un libro recomendable si te gusta el futbol y si no también. Por su puesto que vas a tener que surfear todas las referencias futbolisticas, porque el libro cuenta su vida como jugador. Pero si podes sumergirte en eso, las paginas te dejarán una estampa de la persona mas humana que conociste a través de la pantalla, la que mas deja expuesta su carne y sus huesos, la que (aparentemente) se muestra tal cual es, y no con una fachada fingida y actuada. Ser más humano.
El libro está contado con su mirada, él nos habla, nos cuenta su vida futbolistica desde su punto de vista, con su impronta arravalera, rebelde, descarnada, emocional, sensible, tristona, reaccionaria, melancólica, paranoide, conspirativa, politica y social.
Él es el primero que le agrega épica a su historia. Él hace que cada momento de su vida, triunfo y "fracaso", tengan dimensiones épicas. Cabe preguntarse qué fue primero, si el huevo o la gallina: Los medios, la prensa, la gente le dio epica a su carrera, por su talento en la cancha y su actitud rebelde adentro y afuera? o fue él que con su forma de ser y de jugar fue forjando esa imagen trágica/cómica griega.
Un libro recomendable si te gusta el futbol y si no también. Por su puesto que vas a tener que surfear todas las referencias futbolisticas, porque el libro cuenta su vida como jugador. Pero si podes sumergirte en eso, las paginas te dejarán una estampa de la persona mas humana que conociste a través de la pantalla, la que mas deja expuesta su carne y sus huesos, la que (aparentemente) se muestra tal cual es, y no con una fachada fingida y actuada. Ser más humano.
March 27, 2018
"He'd been a good captain, yes, and I always said so. But I was the one who displaced him: the great captain, the true great captain, was, is and always will be me."
I had to read the autobiography of someone who could be as cocky as him. It is a fairly typical one, slightly high on the enjoyment scale, but just the routines of press conferences, injuries, training, trophies and transfers.
The one thing he takes very seriously was to build a strong national team and to captain them. Yes it's sanitized, yes there's politics, yes there are drugs, and there are no real insights into technique or anything because of which he's considered the greatest of all time(somehow i feel Pele is losing that race). But the one reason that it sticks is that during the whole book, you get the feel of a very eager uncle trying to tell you a story, who once upon a time was very good with a ball at his feet. And for that it becomes readable, the downfall and everything.
P.S.: Reading it in the age of Messi gives a better perspective of why even a shy diminutive boy like him has to go through the emotional ringer of captaining Argentina and win them a trophy, in order to be mentioned in the same breath as Maradona.
I had to read the autobiography of someone who could be as cocky as him. It is a fairly typical one, slightly high on the enjoyment scale, but just the routines of press conferences, injuries, training, trophies and transfers.
The one thing he takes very seriously was to build a strong national team and to captain them. Yes it's sanitized, yes there's politics, yes there are drugs, and there are no real insights into technique or anything because of which he's considered the greatest of all time(somehow i feel Pele is losing that race). But the one reason that it sticks is that during the whole book, you get the feel of a very eager uncle trying to tell you a story, who once upon a time was very good with a ball at his feet. And for that it becomes readable, the downfall and everything.
P.S.: Reading it in the age of Messi gives a better perspective of why even a shy diminutive boy like him has to go through the emotional ringer of captaining Argentina and win them a trophy, in order to be mentioned in the same breath as Maradona.
May 31, 2017
Imprescindible para conocer un poco mejor la trayectoria del mejor futbolista de la Historia. Es una autobiografía casi exclusivamente deportiva, contada en primera persona. Hace especial hincapié en la etapa en el Nápoles, Boca Juniors y, sobre todo, la trayectoria en la Selección Argentina (AFA), dejando un poco de lado clubes como el Barcelona FC, Newell's o Sevilla FC.
Apenas, salvo en los últimos capítulos, da lugar a la vida personal del jugador y, menos aún, sus adicciones, las cuales se comentan de pasada (aunque no se omiten).
Es una biografía bastante sencilla de leer, amena e interesante. Maradona era (y es) un personaje tan particular que cualquier amante del fútbol sabrá apreciar.
Apenas, salvo en los últimos capítulos, da lugar a la vida personal del jugador y, menos aún, sus adicciones, las cuales se comentan de pasada (aunque no se omiten).
Es una biografía bastante sencilla de leer, amena e interesante. Maradona era (y es) un personaje tan particular que cualquier amante del fútbol sabrá apreciar.
July 4, 2020
Slecht geschreven en het is is ook geen vertaling die met aandacht is gedaan. Veel letterlijke vertalingen wat soms vreemde zinnen en uitspraken tot gevolg heeft. Daarnaast is het allemaal nogal warrig geschreven en springt Diego nogal van de hak op de tak. Veel afrekeningen en je vraagt je soms af hoe gebeurtenissen echt zijn gegaan.
waarom je het boek wel moet lezen? Maradona was een fantastische voetballer en dit is zijn verhaal, zijn perspectief en hoewel het moeite kost soms bij het verhaal te blijven brengt dat je juist wel dichter bij Diego. Wat een gejaagd leven moet hij leiden met al die aandacht en het vergrootglas dat op alles wat hij doet ligt. Je zou er warrige verhalen van gaan schrijven.
waarom je het boek wel moet lezen? Maradona was een fantastische voetballer en dit is zijn verhaal, zijn perspectief en hoewel het moeite kost soms bij het verhaal te blijven brengt dat je juist wel dichter bij Diego. Wat een gejaagd leven moet hij leiden met al die aandacht en het vergrootglas dat op alles wat hij doet ligt. Je zou er warrige verhalen van gaan schrijven.
December 14, 2020
I found this book written by Diego very interesting. We are used to watching soccer games without knowing what happens behind the stage. In this book, we get the perspective of the soccer players, their wishes, frustrations, desires, problems with authorities and other players, and the hectic life they sometimes lead between constant trips, leaving the family behind, or being booed by audiences. While autobiographies can never be 100 unbiased, I think that Diego did a very pretty job here portraying his greatness as a player, but his drawbacks as well. This is a great book and we learn of who Diego is as a player. Whether you agree with his political or personal habits and beliefs or not, I found it a very interesting and enjoyable book.
February 22, 2022
A great sportsman but definitely not a great sports book.
This autobiography very much focusses on Maradona’s football career and the highs and lows he experienced as a player, so it’s a good read if you enjoy football, particular football in the 1980’s, but if you’re looking for a balanced insight into the life he led then this is way off the mark.
There are details about matches, tactics and tantrums but no rock and roll stories which I would love to have heard more about and whilst I enjoyed the book it didn’t tell me anything new about Maradona the man. The documentary recently which followed him manage a team in Mexico was a much much more interesting insight.
Like him or not though, for me he is still the greatest.
This autobiography very much focusses on Maradona’s football career and the highs and lows he experienced as a player, so it’s a good read if you enjoy football, particular football in the 1980’s, but if you’re looking for a balanced insight into the life he led then this is way off the mark.
There are details about matches, tactics and tantrums but no rock and roll stories which I would love to have heard more about and whilst I enjoyed the book it didn’t tell me anything new about Maradona the man. The documentary recently which followed him manage a team in Mexico was a much much more interesting insight.
Like him or not though, for me he is still the greatest.
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June 2, 2020Dünya'nın en iyi futbolcularından biri olan Diego Maradona'nın iki yazar yardımıyla kendini anlattığı kitap Buenos Aires'teki yoksul gençliğinden, dünyanın en popüler spor tarihinin en büyük futbolcularından biri haline nasıl geldiğinden bahsediyor. Günümüzde hala ara ara gündeme gelen 1986 Dünya Kupası'ndaki İngiltere'ye karşı eliyle attığı golden ,2004 yılında geçirdiği kalp krizinden ve birçok insanın bildiği uyuşturucu vakasındanda bahsediyor. Bu otobiyografi kitabı Maradona'yı sevenler için Maradona'yı okuyucuya detaylı şekilde anlatan bir kitap olup sporseverler için de çok uygun bir çerezlik kitap
May 13, 2021
Insisted on honesty and truth, but if you’re familiar with his story at all you’ll know there are gaping holes in his version of events. Huge issues that are barely addressed, his son for one, and many disparaging comments made about others with little or no context, just assumed knowledge. I thought reading this would produce some fantastic “rock n’ roll” stories, but instead it was like reading my primary school English book from about year 2, in which on a Monday I would just regurgitate football scores that had occurred over the weekend, and maybe describe a goal I scored or witnessed.
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