Diego Maradona (1960–2020)
Possibly the most gifted footballer who ever lived, and certainly one of the most complicated.
From Villa Fiorito to the world
Maradona was born on 30 October 1960 near Buenos Aires and grew up in poverty in Villa Fiorito. He made his professional debut for Argentinos Juniors days before his 16th birthday, then moved to Boca Juniors, Barcelona and, in 1984, Napoli.
Napoli
In Naples he became something close to a saint. Napoli won Serie A in 1987 and 1990 and the UEFA Cup in 1989, the only league titles of the Maradona era.
The 1986 World Cup
As Argentina's captain in Mexico he won the World Cup almost single-handedly. The quarter-final against England had both the "Hand of God" goal and, minutes later, a solo run past half the team often voted the goal of the century.
Later life
His career and life were marked by drug addiction, bans and health problems. He later coached Argentina at the 2010 World Cup. He died on 25 November 2020, and Argentina declared three days of national mourning.