New Delhi, (Samajweekly) Here is a timeline of football legend Diego Armando Maradona of Argentina. A World Cup winner, he passed away on Wednesday, aged 60, in Tigre, Buenos Aires.
Timeline:
1960: Born on October 30, in Lanus, Argentina
1970: Joins Los Cebollitas youth team
1971: Scouted age 11 for the junior team of Argentinos Juniors
1976: Turns professional, makes his pro debut aged 15, joins Argentinos Juniors
1977: Makes his full international debut for Argentina, aged 16
1978: Becomes youngest player ever to be picked by Argentine national team
1979: Scores his first international goal, and wins the junior World Cup
1980: Signs with Barcelona of the Spanish League
1981: Transferred to Boca Juniors for $1.96 million
1982: Plays his first World Cup for Argentina and scores twice. Is sent off in the game against Brazil. Same year, transferred to Barcelona FC for $9.81 million, a world record at the time
1983: Helps Barcelona win the Spanish Cup
1984: Is transferred from Barcelona to Serie A Napoli for $13.54 million, another record
1986: Wins World Cup as Argentina captain. Scores two goals against England, including the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal and another after dribbling past six players — it was voted ‘Goal of the Century’ in a FIFA poll in 2002
1987: Helps Napoli to their maiden Italian title
1989: Gets married to Claudia Villafane
1990: Faces a paternity suit after defeat to West Germany in the World Cup final
1991: Fails a drug test, and handed a 15-month suspension after testing positive for cocaine. Leaves Italy
1992: Stages a comeback at Sevilla in Spanish League
1993: Returns to Argentina, joins Newell’s Old Boys, after disagreement with Sevilla
1994: Tests positive for ephedrine and is sent back home from World Cup in America
1995: Plays final season for Boca Juniors
1996: Checks into a clinic for drug addiction
1997: Announces retirement from professional soccer, aged 37, following another failed drugs test
2000: Autobiography ‘Yo Soy El Diego’ becomes bestseller. Goes to Cuba for two years. Complains of heart problems, collapses
2002: Relocates to Cuba to battle drug addiction issue
2004: Admitted to a hospital after he collapses again
2005: Interviews Pele as his first guest on his talk show
2008: Appointed head coach of Argentina national team; he performed this role for 18 months, until 2010 World Cup. Visits India and opens Indian Football School in Kolkata
2013: Joins Argentine Primera D club Deportivo Riestra as ‘spiritual coach’
2017: Visits India again, plays in Kolkata
2018: Maradona attends Argentina’s 2018 WC match against Nigeria, has a health scare at the end of it
2019: Becomes head coach of Argentine club Gimnasia de La Plata
2020: Leaves Olivos clinic in Buenos Aires after surgery for blood clot in brain; dies on November 25
