|
21.11.2008 :Diego Maradona is coming to Kolkata. This is probably going to be the event of the
century for Bengali football fans. But before Maradona arrives here to bewitch
your senses, have a look at the man with a divine touch from his own
autobiography.
Kausik Bandyopadhyay casts an eye on the man, his career and his enigmatic
personality using El Diego: the autobiography of the world’s greatest footballer
(London: Yellow Jersey Press, 2004) as a lens.
Diego Armando Maradona thrives on controversy. Despite being one of two greatest global
footballing icons along with Pele, he remained a controversial figure through out his
footballing career. And he remains a bone of controversy even after his retirement. A man of
exceptional footballing genius Diego decided to use his famous hand of god albeit in a
different way once he had kept off his shoes in 1997. This time the hand produced an
emotionally charged confessional tale – a hitherto unknown Maradona known to him only. As
Diego himself states: “Sometimes I think that my whole life is on film, that my whole life
is in print. But it’s not like that, it’s not like that at all, there are things which are
only in my heart – that no one knows. At last I have decided to tell everything.” Thus he
tells the story of his extraordinarily enigmatic life from his poverty-stricken origins to
his greatest glories, from the pinnacle of his footballing feats to the status of a fallen
star with ‘astonishing frankness and brilliant footballing insight’. In fact, as one goes
through it, one realizes that Maradona’s enthusiasm for self-revelation is no less
interesting than his enthusiasm for football.
A poor boy from the shanty town of Buenos Aires Maradona was an addict to football
from his childhood. The reason, as he admits, was: “playing football gave me unique peace.”
Diego considered himself to be a professional footballer from the start, as he always
preferred to play for the team that had picked him first. His parents, brothers and sisters
– all became a source of sustenance and energy for him to play the game in true spirit from
the very beginning. Watching him play for Los Cebollitas as a boy, experts and spectators
could easily understand what was in the making! As the first ever newspaper report on him
said that a boy had appeared “with the demeanour and class of a star”. That’s why he was
asked to do tricks with the ball on a most popular TV programme in Argentina when he was
only eleven. However, it was while playing for Los Cebollitas as a boy that Maradona “scored
a forerunner of the other goal, the hand of God.” And when another hand goal was disallowed
by a referee a few years later he thanked him and admitted that he “couldn’t promise
anything” on such occasions in future. Diego’s debut with Argentinos Juniors in 1976 was the
first break of his career as he began to be noticed and highlighted in national media with
rapid pace. At this point he had to grow too fast as both expectation and envy urged him to
grow up quickly. Come 1977, Maradona wore the national shirts for the first time in a
friendly against Hungary. And the same year he found his life partner La Claudia. A
coincidence for a lifetime!
Maradona could not find a place in Argentina’s Cup winning squad of 1978. It was “the
biggest disappointment “ of his life, yet “it marked me for ever, it defined me.” Anger and
revengefulness – byproducts of his exit from the team – were to remain fuel for Maradona’s
genius throughout his career. He always turned the table whenever he suffered a setback.
That’s how he came to limelight when he blazed through his way to help Argentina win the
first FIFA Coca Cola Youth World Cup in Japan in 1979. Diego left Argentinos Juniors next
year to join Boca Juniors – an important step in his professional footballing career. Yet,
his stint with Boca was wrought with ups and downs in performance – consistency became the
catchword for him and his team. Diego began to realize another truth of his footballing life
– blows and injuries. In his first World Cup in Spain 1982 he had to negotiate with the
kicks and blows from his opponent defenders. Although he and his compatriots came to the Cup
tired and over-trained from concentration, most of them suffered from complacency: “We
thought we were the best and we hadn’t even played a game.” Maradona played his part scoring
his first goals in the biggest show, but could not check his impulses on the field. Being
continually kicked by opponents every game, he finally lashed out against Brazil and got a
red card. Spain was over for the last time winners, but not for Maradona as Barcelona FC had
secured his transfer on the eve of the tournament for an unprecedented amount. However, it
was difficult for him to cope with tricks and politicking of the club for long. More
importantly, he suffered his first major injury of his career leading to an operation on his
leg and requiring a lengthy recovery programme. But his time with Barcelona was ill fated
not only because of these things, but more because “there, in Barcelona, my relationship
with drugs began.” Hence, the change for the better – not only for Diego but more for his
new club Napoli – the club which fought hard to avoid relegation thrice in a row till 1984.
And Maradona gave everything he could to Napoli – Serie A title, Copa Italia and the coveted
UEFA Cup. Never before and never after the world saw such a modest team to dominate European
football for so long – an unparallelled feat by Diego.
Come 1986 and Argentina under Diego’s captaincy lifted the World Cup – the most
desired occasion of his life. The road to this glory Diego delineates elaborately and
vividly. For the first the Cup was telecast globally and the globe had their first visual
footballing icon on screen. Maradona, Burruchaga, Rugeri, Valdano and the inspiring Bilardo
– a great combination saw Argentina through although after a very hard fought final against
West Germany. But Mexico ’86 is remembered for one special match – Argentina’s clash with
England. It not only witnessed Diego’s Hand of God shining with a goal hoodwinking the
referee but produced the greatest goal in the history of World Cup – a “dream goal” in
Maradona’s own words.
Maradona could not win the Copa America despite best of efforts in 1987 and 1989.
Argentina finished runner up in Italia 90 thanks not only to Maradona magic but also to the
genius of its reserve goalkeeper Goykochea. Yet, the world saw the severest fouls committed
against one man in the tourney. Maradona also became aware of a possible Italian vendetta
after Argentina knocked them out of the World Cup that summer. And he left Napoli in 1991.
Post-1991 Diego’s career reveals a story of ups and downs including bans, comebacks,
scandals and drug tests. Drug had already become a bane of his life – a bane from which he
could never really recover in his career. Meantime, he played for Sevilla in Spain with
sparks of his old form at times. And then came USA ’84 where Maradona had his swan song.
Tested positive in scheduled drugs, he had to face the most shameful and painful music of
his life. He was banned from football for another 15 months. Stories have multiplied about
his intentions –innocent or evil, but let us hear to his voice of confession: “The truth,
the only truth about the World Cup ’94 is that my personal trainer, Daniel Cerrini, made a
mistake and I took the brunt of the fallout.” (p. 201) The Argentinian side – a great side
that time – could not recover from the set back and went on to lose meekly to Romania in the
second round.
Diego’s fight to stage a comeback with the ball, however, continued unabated although
he knew that his Cup of glory was over. He found solace with his old love Boca Juniors where
he remained with intermittent sparkles of his old touch. But he got tested positive again in
1997. Time was fast running out for the ‘world’s greatest footballer’ and he played his last
match for Boca against Newell’s on 25 October without knowing the same. It was time for a
farewell: “And I said goodbye to football. For ever? I could never say that.”
People across the world keenly awaited the English translation of Diego’s
autobiography since its first publication in Spanish in 2000. The book was worth it as it
reveals the true man on and off the pitch. Amazing, interesting and insightful, it’s real
pleasure reading the book even for those who don’t like Maradona but love the game. Written
with passion, coherence and clarity, it shows when an impulsive character reveals himself
with honesty, an autobiography too can become authentic and authoritative. Maradona’s
struggle with the pressures of his life on and off the pitch and his uncanny ability to turn
negative feelings into positive energy and revenge into inspiration not only fascinate but
inspire as well. Since his (in)famous ‘hand of god’ goal against England in 1986 Maradona
and controversy became synonymous as he was “torn between the demands of corporate club
bosses, the fans, the media, and his own tempestuous personal life”. In the last chapter of
his autobiography, Maradona talks about his most loved and dear ones in life, presents his
all time favourite Argentine formation, mentions those players who have delighted him and
reveals his relations with some big personalities like Fidel Castro or Carlos Menem. This
chapter has hinted to many unknown aspects of his life, which, if Maradona desires to
elaborate a bit later on, could produce another revealing memoir, which would, now it seems,
include his visit to Kolkata as well, thereby making us proud for ever.
Article Written By :Kausik Bandyopadhyay
Senior Lecturer in History
North Bengal University, India & Fellow
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies
5, Ashraf Mistri Lane
Opp. Ballygunge Military Camp
Kolkata-700019
West Bengal, India.
Associate Editor
Soccer and Society (London: Routledge)
|
