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Name: Diego Armando Maradona

Born: October 30, 1960 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Caps: 91 (34 goals)

Nationality: Argentinean

International Career: 1977-1994 (91 caps, 34 goals)

Diego Maradona Bio: Diego Maradona (born 1961) is an icon in Argentina, much like Evita Peron. As a soccer player, he took his team to new heights and became a hero to sports fans - many of whom referred to him as "San Diego." He also took sports paychecks to new heights, claiming unheard of salaries in trade after trade. Maradona was plagued by cocaine addiction, though, and his career came to an early end.

At the age of 25, Diego Maradona was the central figure of the 1986 World Cup challenge. The short, stocky midfielder scored two goals against the English. The first was cause for great debate, as he had hit the ball with his hand, an illegal move. Maradona had shrugged it off, saying, "from the hand of God to the head of Maradona." He apologized four years later on Italian television as reported in the Chicago Tribune, "It was my hand, not His. I don't want anyone to think God robbed someone, rather it was Maradona who did the robbing."

Maradona’s career with the Argentine national team included World Cup appearances in 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994. He dominated the 1986 competition in Mexico. In a 2–1 quarterfinal victory over England, he scored two of the most memorable goals in World Cup history. The first was scored with his hand (the referee mistakenly thought the ball had struck his head), a goal now remembered as the “Hand of God” goal. The second occurred after Maradona gained possession of the ball at midfield and dribbled through a pack of English defenders and past the keeperbefore depositing the ball in the goal. He did not finish the 1994 World Cup, because he tested positive for the drug ephedrine and was again suspended. Maradona also played on South American championship-winning teams in 1987 and 1989. For more details visit britannica.com.

 Diego Maradona

 Diego Maradona

 Diego Maradona

 Diego Maradona

 Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona