Diego Armando Maradona's Life Captured in His 50 Best Pictures

This article appeared in thedaddest.com and has been published here with permission.

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Diego Armando Maradona has been considered by great sports personalities as the best soccer player in history. His talent on the field led him to be the key player for Argentina to win the 1986 World Cup. In addition, under his guidance, the national team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup. Below, we will tell you everything you should know about the remembered "Pibe de oro", from his sports career to his personal life.

The origin of Maradona

The great Diego Armando Maradona had a rather humble origin. He was the fifth child of his parents and the first son of the family. He was born in 1960, and from a very early age he showed his interest in sports.

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Although his entire family was based in Argentina, Diego was of Spanish and Croatian descent. His family was not particularly wealthy, they considered themselves middle class and had the great obligation of supporting 8 children.

His first contact with the ball

From a very young age Diego showed an interest in sports and, more specifically, in soccer. When he was just a child, he was constantly playing in a field called Las siete canchitas. It was there that Maradona began to practice his favorite sport.

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His first real contact with the world of soccer took place in 1969. When he was only 9 years old, Diego tried out for the lower divisions of the Argentinos Juniors club.

Fame came to him at an early age

Despite being just a child, by 1971 Diego was already appearing in Argentine newspapers. His first appearance in the press was at the age of 11 in the newspaper Clarín. This first article described him as a soccer "crack", referring to his unparalleled talent.

Wikimedia Commons // Unknown - El Gráfico // CC BY-SA 4.0

In no time he was not only appearing in newspapers, but he was also being invited to TV shows. Even as a young boy making his own way, Diego was already beginning to taste success.

His debut in the First Division

Maradona's debut in Argentina's First Division took place in 1976. It should be noted that by this time Diego was only 16 years old. Argentinos Juniors was still Maradona's home at this time.

Wikimedia Commons // Unknown, Clarín // CC BY-SA 4.0

In the first instance they had to play against the Talleres team, however, in their first game they experienced defeat. Talleres won with a one goal advantage. On this occasion, Diego had entered in the second half of the match as a replacement.