Maradona
"No matter what, who's playing, who the coach is. Everyone knows that the T-shirt number 10 of the Selection will belong to me. For ever."
"Do what you know". Flaco Menotti's phrase, before Diego's debut in the Selection, was completed in La Bombonera, when he was sent inside the field. Sunday 27th February 1977. The Argentine Selection played against Hungary in Boca's field. Hugo Gatti, Tarantini, Olguin, Daniel Killer, Carrascosa, Ardiles, Gallego, Ricardo Julio Villa, Houseman, Luque, Bertoni started the match. Maradona was reserve with number 19 on his back. He was 16, eleven matches played in First Division and two goals scored. Suddenly, a hush made its way through the deephening roaring. The boy stood up like in a dream, and started to play in Luque's place. He made his international debut 65 minutes after the match had strated.
In May 19, 1978, when time came to decide on the 22 players for the World Cup 1978, he suffered a great dissapointment: Menotti's face informed him he was one of the three who were excluded. He got angry. He cried. He then confessed:"That day I swore I would go for the revenge...". The oath was carried out amply. The first recovery as consequence of that young frustration arrived soon. In June 2nd, in Glasgow, when Argentina won Scotland 3-1, he scored his first goal with the white and light-blue T-shirt. He was on the right track. That year in September he was the star of the young group which had conquered the World Cup in Japan. His image grew and surpassed the national level. There was no Argentine Selection, since then and for the gap of four World Cups, in which Diego was not the indisputable reference. It was the inspiration and the talent, the admirable generator and the implacable executor, the crack who was claimed by the whole world as the best of all. In 1980, he did a memorable play against England in Wembley. It didn't finish as a goal because he decided to caper the goalkeeper to his left. The memory of that lost opportunity would serve him precisely against England, six years later, when in Mexico's World Cup ended a fantastic maneuver facing the goalkeeper Peter Shilton. He mock-attacked him from the left side and passed him from the right, to round up against the English the goal of all times. There was no Argentine Selection, since then and for the gap of four World Cups, in wich Diego was not the indisputable reference. It was the inspiration and the talent, the admirable generator and the implacable executor, the crack who was claimed by the whole world as the best of all.
Japan '79: it was his 1978's revenge. He was crowned as the Revelation and the Best Player of the tournament. The world already talk about him. Espa�a '82: marked his worldwide debut amongst lights and shadows. M�xico '86: was the zenith of his international campaign. Carlos Salvador Bilardo blindly trusted him. He named him captain, with the certitude that Diego would come in his best moment: he was right. Italia '90: found him physically diminished, offering flashes of his inextinguishable ability. U.S.A. '94: when he emerged with his untouched class to generate renewed illusions, it was a dream that suddenly broke, with a new drama in his carreer, which wouldn't be relapse: another positive antidoping control.
Nevertheless nothing could dull the greatness of his trajectory, the memory of his explosive and subtle football, cheerfull and effective, aesthetically masterful.