RIP Diego Armando Maradona

[Gsinill]

Since we have quite a few football/soccer fans here...

Holy cow, only 60 years old.
Considered by many the greatest player of all time.

2020 sure sucks

[Clean39T]

One of the more polarizing figures in sport.. and a childhood hero. Had his poster on my wall and his shoes on my feet.

RIP.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Ken Robb]

I think he was ailing for quite some time. And NOW some people involved with soccer are finally recognizing that years of heading soccer balls seems to lead to dementia in long-time players. So far they are recommending limiting headers in practice.
My dad played professionally in Scotland, Canada, and the USA until he was 40 years old. He retired in 1948 and soccer balls were still just leather. They started a game rather heavy and got more so as they absorbed water during play on wet days. Dad had SEVERE dementia when he died. I prefer to attribute it to too many headers vs. Alzheimers because headers aren't hereditary.

[martl]

In 1989, Napoli came to Munich for the UEFA Cup semi final. When the players come on pre-match to do their warm up routines, they usually ho to the corner of the pitch where their support is. Not Maradona, he grabbed a ball and strolled to the corner where the hardcore Munich supporters have their home. I was among them, and we yelled and whistled at him, as it is customary with such a small provocation.

Then he started to juggle the ball in the air with his feet, knees, head, shoulders, chest and back for a good minute, in rhythm with the stadium song "life is life", shoelaces still untied.
We had stopped whistling and yelling very soon, and when he finished, we gave him standing ovations.

This incident has been held on film and has long since emerged into a worldwide meme, available on all the channels. One of my most cherished memories of football.

Farewell, great Man. God needed his hand back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vashrNoXTE

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I think he was ailing for quite some time. And NOW some people involved with soccer are finally recognizing that years of heading soccer balls seems to lead to dementia in long-time players. So far they are recommending limiting headers in practice.
My dad played professionally in Scotland, Canada, and the USA until he was 40 years old. He retired in 1948 and soccer balls were still just leather. They started a game rather heavy and got more so as they absorbed water during play on wet days. Dad had SEVERE dementia when he died. I prefer to attribute it to too many headers vs. Alzheimers because headers aren't hereditary.

He lived a pretty hard life.....decades of drug abuse probably had more to do with his poor health than heading soccer balls.

Kind of funny since his most infamous play was actually not heading the ball...aka "Hand of God"

Those old leather balls sucked.....I have an effed up neck from heading a waterlogged ball back in late '80s....had tingles shoot out to my fingertips....I could not even lift my head off the pillow the next morning..scary sheet!

Back on topic.....Diego was a heck of player and fun to watch.

[goonster]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

finally recognizing that years of heading soccer balls seems to lead to dementia in long-time players.

Without diminishing this risk, the headers were surely a minor contributor to his myriad health issues.

Godspeed, Don Diego, to the great asado in the sky.

For anyone interested in the subject, and the man, the Asif Kapadia documentary from last year can't be recommended highly enough.

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by goonster

without diminishing this risk, the headers were surely a minor contributor to his myriad health issues.

Godspeed, don diego, to the great asado in the sky.

For anyone interested in the subject, and the man, the asif kapadia documentary from last year can't be recommended highly enough.

+1

[martl]

Originally Posted by goonster

For anyone interested in the subject, and the man, the Asif Kapadia documentary from last year can't be recommended highly enough.

Therre is also a very interesting movie on him, music by Manu Chao, directed by the great Emir Kusturica.

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHOc0Hs3dYg

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by Gsinill

+1

+2 that was great.

this one comes as a surprise, 60 is very young. RIP Maradona.

[wc1934]

Another sad loss.
RIP - larger than life both on and off the field.

Official SSC Napoli
@en_sscnapoli
Always in our hearts 💙
Ciao, Diego

San Paolo will be renamed in honour of El Pibe de Oro.

[Louis]

I can't believe this hasn't been posted:

https://youtu.be/1wVho3I0NtU

[el cheapo]

Seems like a large percentage of great athletes have major flaws. Is self destructive behavior a prerequisite?

[kiwisimon]

Originally Posted by el cheapo

Seems like a large percentage of great athletes have major flaws. Is self destructive behavior a prerequisite?

more a consequence of greatness I think. Basketball greats seem to by and large keep their ***** together quite well. Maybe teams screen the nutjobs out?

Soccer, comedy, acting art and music not so much.

RIP Maradona. I first watched tape of him playing for Boca Jrs before he went to Europe. I wasn't a soccer fan but what a scoring talent.

[verticaldoug]

There is a story Gary Lineker told of Maradona. They were playing in a friendly and the game was delayed were all the players were taken back inside. For whatever reason, both teams were together waiting.

GL said Maradona sat down on the bench, took his shoes and socks off, and rolled his socks into two balls. He then proceeded to sit there and bounce both sock balls off his left and right foot for fun.

D

[echappist]

Originally Posted by martl

In 1989, Napoli came to Munich for the UEFA Cup semi final. When the players come on pre-match to do their warm up routines, they usually ho to the corner of the pitch where their support is. Not Maradona, he grabbed a ball and strolled to the corner where the hardcore Munich supporters have their home. I was among them, and we yelled and whistled at him, as it is customary with such a small provocation.

Then he started to juggle the ball in the air with his feet, knees, head, shoulders, chest and back for a good minute, in rhythm with the stadium song "life is life", shoelaces still untied.
We had stopped whistling and yelling very soon, and when he finished, we gave him standing ovations.

This incident has been held on film and has long since emerged into a worldwide meme, available on all the channels. One of my most cherished memories of football.

Farewell, great Man. God needed his hand back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vashrNoXTE

Even that showing of exquisite skills is so emblematic of the duality of his life: a magician of the highest order in his chosen profession and a wind-up merchant extraordinaire by disposition, getting away with things b/c he knew his supreme talent would charm people in the act.

Having said that, thanks for sharing the video. Even cynical ole me was impressed by the insouciance and flair.

Originally Posted by verticaldoug

There is a story Gary Lineker told of Maradona. They were playing in a friendly and the game was delayed were all the players were taken back inside. For whatever reason, both teams were together waiting.

GL said Maradona sat down on the bench, took his shoes and socks off, and rolled his socks into two balls. He then proceeded to sit there and bounce both sock balls off his left and right foot for fun.

D

Or the one he mentioned on set yesterday, DM doing keepie-uppies during warm up at an exhibition match by booting the ball way high, getting under the ball, controlling it in a way almost as if he were caressing it with his foot, and then booting it skywards again. Apparently did that more than ten times.

Impressed, Lineker and his then teammates at Barça attempted to replicate the routine later, and no one managed more than three; everyone was knackered chasing the ball he just booted skywards.

Originally Posted by kiwisimon

more a consequence of greatness I think. Basketball greats seem to by and large keep their ***** together quite well. Maybe teams screen the nutjobs out?

Soccer, comedy, acting art and music not so much.

RIP Maradona. I first watched tape of him playing for Boca Jrs before he went to Europe. I wasn't a soccer fan but what a scoring talent.

The counterpoint to Diego Maradonna would certainly be Johan Cruijff, another football magician (look up Cruijff Turn, legend has it the poor Swedish dude he evaded is still looking for the ball) with quite humble roots (his mother was a cleaner at Ajax before he rose to fame). Though unabashed about his desire for wealth (he once quipped that after his playing days, he can’t just demand bread from the baker solely on the basis that he is Cruijff) and a headstrong character/ contrarian (when Ajax wouldnt renew his contract, he signed with archrivals Feijenoord, won them a domestic double, and promptly retired), but largely led a normal life. As for a tie in to ARG, he missed the 78 World Cup in ARG b/c thugs held him and his family hostage and released them only after Cruijff agreed (under severe duress) not to partake in the 78 WC; he kept his words for the sake of his family.