Diego Maradona match career reports (1976-1997)

December 1999 El Gráfico

Argentina’s greatest athlete of the 20th century


Polemical, controversial but with merits, Diego Maradona narrowly edged Juan Manuel Fangio as Argentina’s greatest ever athlete by 5 percent.

In that same poll, in the category of footballers, Maradona (50 votes) topped Alfredo Di Stéfano (7 votes) and José Manuel Moreno (4 votes) as Argentina’s greatest ever player.

In the world list, Maradona with 30 votes beat Pelé (25 votes), Di Stéfano (7 votes) and Cruijff (2 votes).

The list consisted of 64 Argentinian correspondents.

 

May 1998 El Gráfico

The left footed poets of all sports and the best of all time





With Maradona at the height of his fame after his retirement, he took the number 1 spot with Sivori number 2 as best left footed footballers.

Omar Sivori, kind of forgotten nowadays, was the most similar to Maradona in physical texture, in the “gambeta” (dribble crossover), in the creative imagination.



For Giuseppe Meazza, arguably the greatest Italian player of all time by 1961, according to El Gráfico, wrote about the genius of Sivori and how he viewed him as the most impressive Argentinian player post-World War 2 that played on Italian fields.

 

Almost 2 years later Jeff Powell’s list changed but his top two remained the same.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...ssi-isnt-Greatest-Time-hes-Pele-Maradona.html

December 2022

1) Pele
2) Diego Maradona
3) Lionel Messi
4) Garrincha
5) Alfredo Di Stefano
6) Johan Cruyff
7) John Charles
8) George Best
9) Cristiano Ronaldo
10) Ferenc Puskas

 

The French magazine Mondial listed their top 50 best players in the world towards the end of 1978 and Maradona made the list in the category of best creative footballers (page 44).



Maradona is 18 years-old and is considered Argentina’s wonder kid. He has made the youngest ever debut for Argentina at 16 for the senior NT.

In the brief description it reads: “It seems this time that Argentina finally has the worthy successor to Pele. Even the Brazilians, adversaries of the Argentines, seem to admit it.”

“He has the ease of a god... When he has the ball, you have the impression that no one will be able to take it away from him. His adversaries seem to move away (disappear?) from him as if by magic...”

By 1979 his global fame was about to reach enormous publicity, to the point that some European outlets would classify him as the best in the world (The Daily Mail, Jeff Powell; Guerin Sportivo), others like World Soccer magazine claiming him as “destined to be the world’s best…”, as demonstrated on this forum and thread.

 

At the turn of the new XXI, El Gráfico looked back at the history of the previous 100 years and its greatest athletes. Diego Maradona was classified as the primary footballing star of the 1980s and regarded by this publication as the greatest of all-time. Pelé was viewed as the primary star of the 1960s and alongside Diego the 20th century will forever be linked between which of the two athletes was the greatest footballer. A debate that will never end.

 

Year 1992 (El Gráfico)

109 Argentinian managers voted for the greatest Argentinian footballer of all-time. Not surprisingly Maradona won by a landslide.



The results which also included the best non-Argentinian player they had witnessed:



The managers that voted:

 

In 1993 in the link below there was a similar poll conducted for the greatest Argentinian footballer, but this time chosen by the journalists:
https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/the-greatest-argentinian-player-of-all-time-1993.2086594/

What is inevitably clear about both results (years 1992 and ‘93) is that most of the correspondents involved were contemporary to Maradona’s playing generation and simply went with what they had witnessed, rendering zero possibilities of any legitimate chance for other candidates from older generations to challenge Diego’s throne.

 

El Gráfico 1990

2000 Goals


Some interesting trivia between the years 1975-1990 for Argentinian footballers that played abroad. The list consists of the best scorers in Argentinian football from that timespan that eventually went to play in different parts of the world.

 

El Gráfico 1992

Another trivia of the best scorers up until 1992 of all-time in Argentinian football and the best ratios:

Daniel Passarella with the most goals as defender



The best averages: Maradona at 11th place and one of few from what was considered the modern era at that time that made the list; most were from the decade of the 1930s and ‘40s when goal averages were higher.

Edit: Only players that converted 120 goals or more were taken into account.

 

El Gráfico year 1999

The best players of the 20th century chosen by the German entity of IFFHS, with the approval of FIFA. The criteria was to pick the best goalkeeper and outfield player of each continent, chosen from journalists of each respective continent. Considered an open election which inevitably pitted Maradona against Pelé, but also generated debate in other continents with the likes of Cruijff and Di Stéfano, etc.



The results struck controversy and sparked debate. With Pelé chosen as number 1 in South America and Cruijff in Europe, the publication asked: “Why not Maradona in the South? Why not Beckenbauer in Europe ? Or why not Di Stéfano in either región across the Atlantic?”

El Gráfico points out that in these political institutional lists, Maradona’s off-field issues and fight against the establishment hampers his chances against Pelé, who is more diplomatic, associated with big businesses and tied with the power of FIFA.

The case of Di Stéfano is special because he was voted by two continents and ended up with more total votes than anyone. In Europe, although Cruijff’s credentials are missing a major NT title, his claims are valid since his influence as a revolutionary footballer transcended boundaries, according to this publication.

El Gráfico’s point of view is that the 3 greatest players of the century were Pelé, Maradona and Di Stéfano. They asked some Argentinian journalists, managers and former players to explain their position.

Jose Manuel Ramos Delgado:
“I agree. If the decision was unanimous it’s for a reason. The difference between Maradona and Pelé was that he was more complete, he had a tremendous physique, he beat you above and below and he made unimaginable pirouettes with his body. In contrast, Maradona distinguished himself with the skill on the ball. Alfredo? He was different than both, but just as great as them”

Ernesto Duchini:
“I place Diego at the top of this list. If I weigh what he contributed to the National Team, Maradona achieved everything with what he did in the '86 World Cup, where he scored the best goal I saw in my life. Likewise, I can't stop thinking that Pelé was an extraordinary player, just like Alfredo. Surely, for Brazilians, Pelé was the best, but we Argentines know the things that Maradona did for the Argentine shirt.”

Juan de Biase:
“I don't think there can be a positioning between these three monsters. Pelé had great handling with both legs, but with his right he was impressive. Maradona was a master, a skilled barbarian, on the left leg he didn't have one hand... he had two. Di Stéfano was a very complete player, he was all over the field doing everything well. Can't choose which one”

Juan Carlos Lorenzo:
“So they chose Péle over Diego and Di Stéfano? No. You have to turn the table. Alfredo was the first player to implement total football. Pelé had a privileged physique who was surrounded by excellent players. Diego marked an era and was the best during a certain period but failed in discipline. Technically he was the most gifted, could win a match on his own. Besides, they marked him tightly, with Pelé they did not”

Enrique Macaya Marquez
“For me, the greatest was Alfredo Di Stéfano, and then Pelé and Maradona. The Brazilian had some small advantages, although he was less creative and played with a broader outlook. In technical richness it is very difficult to be able to establish differences between them, but I prefer Pelé's header and Diego's left foot. In short, there is a slight edge in favor of Pelé although, for me, the best was Di Stéfano.”

Edgardo Andrada (Former goalkeeper for Colón and Vasco da Gama. He played against Maradona and Pelé.) “I agree with the survey with Pelé you never knew what he was going to do. You had to be afraid of him. I think Diego Maradona had more technique and had greater ability in tight spaces. Perhaps he was a more complete player, but somewhat inferior in the final balance. From what they told me, although I did not see him play, Alfredo Di Stéfano was the greatest of the three.”

Carlos Bilardo
“I had the particularity of knowing all three of them very well. In '50, Di Stefano played a game for Real Madrid against San Lorenzo and I was on the bench. Pelé was a classic rival of the time. If I have to choose one: Maradona, but because we experienced many things together and I have a special preference. I couldn't say which one was the greatest”

Ubaldo Fillol
“For me Pelé was not better than Diego, not even crazy. What Maradona in his prime-time of splendor no one can match him. He was unbeatable. Pelé was a great player, but he was not enough to match Diego. And I have great admiration for Alfredo, although I didn't see him play. Everyone says he was a monster”

 

El Gráfico (1999)

XX century of 100 years of world football

“Diego Maradona, the genius without epochs.”

Diego Emperor (1980-1989)



“The period of absolute consolidation in terms of skills, and also of massive growth in the football business. The period, of course, of Diego Maradona at his peak, surrounded by a veritable multitude of great players such as Zico, Platini, Rummenigge, Junior, Paolo Rossi, Butragueño, Francescoli or Lineker. The time of intensity, widespread interest, progress and unavoidable money”

The star of the 1980s


“Diego Armando Maradona, "Pelusa" since his poor and dreamy childhood; "El Diez", simply, when he synthesized his nickname of shirt number and excellence in the game. He was Youth World Champion in 1979 and Senior Champion in Mexico 86. He won with Boca (1981); he won a Copa del Rey at Barcelona (1983); two Leagues ('87 and 90), an Italian Cup (1987), a Super Cup (1991) and a UEFA Cup (1989) with Napoli. For the National Team he played 91 games, scored 34 goals and he is the Argentine player who participated in the most World Cups, four. To the unpredictable left-hander, the courage to the test and a talent without borders added a tumultuous and difficult life, typical of a number 1 of the most popular sport. The world enjoyed his genius and brush, immortalizing his work in the most beautiful goal of a World Cup: the second to the English in Mexico 86.”

 

Continuation of the 1980s decade

 

Guerin Sportivo athlete of the decade (1980-1989)

The poll conducted of mostly Italian sports figures, had Maradona finish in first place as the best footballer and in third overall in all sports of the decade.



The Italian publication gave this response:
“This ranking, drawn up in alphabetical order, stems from the analysis of three elements: the quality of the results, the continuity over time, the popularity of the character. Obviously rankings like these are always questionable: there are so many champions of the decade that the heart suggests. We think of a Platini winner of 3 Golden Balls; a Marita Koch, a fantastic sprinter on the 100, 200 and 400; a Navratilova on the breach since 1981 and winner of 6 consecutive Wimbledons; a Cova that has exalted us with its sensational gallops; our very decorated Numa and Gaetano Scirea (a World Cup, 4 scudettos in the 70s, 4 international cups, the national records of the matches of the '42' and world championships '18'); and then Matt Biondi and Longo, Becker and Graf. The criteria with which we seemed to choose the top ten of the decade have led us to painful Exclusions and the list indicated above” […]

Of Diego it said: “MARADONA - Since 1980 he has been judged the best footballer in the world; he won a World Cup and dragged Napoli to win the first Scudetto and the first European Cup.”

 

Zico vs Maradona (1979)

A revisit to this first senior NT encounter at the mythical Maracaná stadium in the views of the Brazilian press.

Additional commentary and reviews of Brazilian sources of this match:

Jornal dos Sports (Rio de Janeiro)
“Menotti's team had a good first half. Maradona is really a star, but our National Team, was superior and deserved the win”


For Argentina, this newspaper considered Maradona the main star for the visiting side headlining: “He really knows everything. He won the applause”

“The great player from Argentina. Really, the boy knows everything. He’s technical, dribbles well and makes exquisite launch passes. He confirmed everything that is said about him and won the crowd here, even being applauded in a few moments.”

For Brazil, the local papers highlighted the top performance of Amaral, the man that held his ground at the backline.

In the newspaper of Pernambuco, Recife

After Argentina drew this is what was said: “Maradona started to produce better. If he did not reveal exceptional conditions, at least, he affirmed his condition as a star, in plays in which he stamped his presence.“

Estado de Rio de Janeiro
The local paper highlighted and anticipated the duel between Zico-Maradona, with the former winning the match, but the Argentinian winning the crowd with a “great exhibition”.


Jornal do Comercio (AM, Manaus)



Zico’s view on Maradona
“He is an intelligent and fast playmaker, with great skills and who also had a lot of space to play because our team did not shadow him with an individual marker. He became the central figure of the team in some moments where he was about to decide the match. I think the Brazilian fans liked him a lot, as I did.”

“About himself, Zico doesn't talk much. He just said that he had a lot of work to free himself from the individual markings of being shadowed by the defender Van Tuyne on the left and Gaspari on the right, and that he still found ways to collaborate in the win”

 

A look back to year 2004 and how Britain’s Keir Radnedge summarized the legacy and career in a timeline of the life of Diego Maradona.

 

Year 1989
German Bayern magazine

Prior to Bayern Munich vs Napoli in the semifinals of the 1988-89 UEFA Cup championship.

Although the article delves into the charismatic ‘God-like’ figure status of Maradona in world football and particularly amongst Neapolitans, it’s the grading analysis from Pelè that draws the attention in an act of judge to determine Maradona’s abilities on a scale of 0 (very bad) to 10 (unbeatable) in fourteen different facets of the game.

Pelè’s grading of Maradona, who is stated as the ‘White Pelè’:

Right foot: 7
Left foot: 10
Shot: 10
Dribbling: 10
Acrobatics: 9
Creativity: 10
Strength: 8
Sprint: 9
Endurance: 8
Tactical understanding: 9
Workrate: 9
Free kicks: 10
Heading: 7
Goalscorer: 10

 

The same editors and writers from Britain’s World Encyclopedia but 10 years prior in 1994 with some differences in text, but the essence remains the same: