" When I wear the national t-shirt, its sole contact with my skin makes it stand on an end". Do we need to add anything else to this definition made by Diego Maradona? Certainly not.
His first contact with these colors took place in Chascomus, on April 3rd, 1977. That day would be unforgettable. The Junior National Team defeated a local squad by 3-2. Only five days after this, Diego scored his first goal with this shirt in Cipoletti. Very soon he realized that sadness was even worse when Argentina depended on him: that same year, during the South American Championship held at Venezuela, they played three games, loosing them all. Rage was already becoming the best fuel that could give him power and strength, seeking for revenge.
But to prove these feelings he had to go through one of the worst shocks: not taking part in World Cup ‘78, that on top was going to take place in Argentina. He cried with no consolation, as if someone had died. He then promised his parents, his girlfriend and friends that he would win every single trophy in the world and would bring them home.
On the way to fulfill that promise, he even surprised the German player Franz Beckenbauer. On November 3rd, 1978, in Tucuman, after a friendly match where they had beaten the Cosmos, the great Kaiser asked for his t-shirt as a souvenir.
The South American Championship in Uruguay was ahead. That tournament was the qualifier for the Junior World Cup to be played in Tokio. They ended in second place, after a tie with no goals against Uruguay on January 8th, 1979 and defeating Brazil by 1-0 on January 31st, that same year.
After this, the time for the big revenge arrived.
The first bunch of players were chosen by Ernesto Duchini and Cesar Luis Menotti was the one in charge of giving shape to an unforgettable team, a unique one. "I have never had so much fun inside a field. Apart from my daughters, this is the biggest happiness I have ever had" was Diego’s own definition. In Argentina, people felt the same way, as they would wake up at four in the morning just for watching them play. The world was amazed by such magnificent skill. One heel pass here, a dribble over there. Starting line-up was known by heart, something typical with great teams along history: Sergio García; Carabelli, Juan Simón, Rossi, Hugo Alves; Barbas, Rinaldi, Maradona; Escudero, Ramón Díaz, Gabriel Calderón.
Their way to the finals was extremely easy for them. Their last obstacle happened to be the Soviet Union. They started loosing 1-0, but that was just a scare. 3-1, with a free-kick scored by Diego, was the final result. The Cup was at home, in Diego’s hands, who wanted to return to Buenos Aires to feel that moment, walk down the airplane’s stairs with the so longed trophy up high in the sky. It was for Tota, for don Diego, Claudia and everyone who loved him, for or all of us. He was beginning to fulfill his promise.
SUMMARY (National Team)
Diego Armando Maradona is capable of doing everything in order to defend Argentina’s colors. For example, he would cross the Atlantic Ocean four times in a fortnight just to play two friendly matches. Or argue with any manager in the world, who would pay the highest salary, just to wear the national t-shirt. Or play with an injured ankle that could hardly let him walk, and still be decisive for winning the game.
His feelings for Argentina have been always like this. Since February 1977, when during an evening practice with the junior team against the senior ones (players such as Passarella, Gallego, Luque, Bertoni), the Flaco Cesar Luis Menotti called him aside and told him secretly that he would be chosen for the concentration for the friendly match against Hungary.
His first match was on February 27th, 1977. And although Diego knew that he would play only if the game turned out to be an easy one, soon the claims for Maradóóó, Maradóóó! Came down from the bleachers. They wanted to see that little boy who had played no more than twelve games in First Division, but had the talent of an expert. They sensed it. He did, too.
That Maradóóó, Maradóóó was heard many times since then. In all of the 91 official matches he played for he most beloved team, making 34 goals, and also when he did not play. For the people, this claim turned into a anthem that could be heard when the national team is not playing with all the strength they expect… This is what keeps Maradona still present in the national team.
He shouted his first own goal in his ninth game. That happened on June 2nd, 1979 in Glasgow, playing against Scotland. Argentina won by 3-1, while the Scottish gave an ovation to that shorthaired little boy. He liked it so much that in the next match he patented his goal celebration. He jumped high in the air, with the legs wide open, the right knee higher and his right wrist being shaken towards the sky. That took place on June 25th, 1979 against the powerful team of Rest of the World. As always, there was some rage and anger in it, for one year before the national team coached by Cesar Luis Menotti, had won the World Cup… without Maradona. For Menotti’s point of view, there were other number 10 before Diego at that time, May 19th, 1978, time of decision, like Valencia, Villa, Alonso, Larrosa. Bitterness could not have been bigger for Maradona, nor so much fuel to feed his desire for revenge.
Since then, scoring goals turned out to be something common for him; against Bolivia, Ireland Republic, Poland, Soviet Union, Brazil. And amongst all those games, Austria, where he scored three goals for the first time, on May 21st, 1980 in Viena; an authentic symphony.
For a winner like Diego, World Cup Spain ’82 was, of course, a great frustration. He was already playing for the Barcelona, and everyone had the eyes on him, obviously waiting for the explosion of the number one. But that could not happen. There were different reasons for this to occur: that group was not eager for glory, they had tactical failures, individual lacks and received lots of hits, most of them towards Maradona. The only positive thing about his first game in a World Cup could be the first two goals he had scored against Hungary, on June 18th, 1982 for a final result of 4-1. At one fell swoop, the Italian player Claudio Gentile began to push him away. An arrogant play of the Brazilians ended up in his definite exclusion: a strong hit to Dirceu’s genitals, red card and goodbye to his first World Cup, on July 2nd, 1982.
Although it may seem strange, he returned to the National Team nearly three years later. He was already playing for Napoli. National Team’s manager Carlos Salvador Bilardo chose him and he accepted: he would be captain and leader. That was perhaps, Bilardo’s best decision throughout his career. Diego’s compromise with the team was so strong, that the day when he returned to the National Team, on May 9th 1985, against Paraguay (1-1), will be remembered forever, not only for this, but for the huge trip that Diego accepted to make. This was a symbol of an unlimited engagement, that would become a trade mark in all argentine national teams for a long time: crossing the Atlantic Ocean was not something stressing nor tiring if on the other side the national team was waiting for him.
Struggle, then was a completely different one, for no one, except for the players and coaches, liked that national team. The qualification for the World Cup in Mexico ’86 was agonic, and that was of no help. But Diego was still confident. And Bilardo trusted in Diego. And the World Cup finally arrived.
No one can deny that the influence that Diego Armando Maradona had over that world champion team has no comparison to other teams, and that very few times in history there had been such a number one. It should be enough to mention that goal, The Goal, the best goal of all times: June 22nd, 1986, Aztec Stadium, Mexico; all England on the way, the ball inside the goal, what else can be said? But there is more, there is another historic goal in that same match, with the Hand of God. This one, like stealing the wallet from the English, that one, to avenge the boys that fought in Malvinas. All of these were Maradona’s definitions.
But Diego was wrong when he thought that the scene of him with the World Cup on his hands, on June 29th, 1986, was enough to finish with all the arguments. To the contrary, it was not.
The following years were of harsh struggle. Two America’s Cups, 1987 in Argentina and 1989 in Brazil, which were easily forgotten. His challenge to defend what belonged to him immediately arrived, World Cup Italy ’90. To no other world cup had Diego arrived in such splendor. He had just conquered his second scudetto playing for Napoli and he was physically perfect. Until an incarnated nail in his right foot toe troubled his way, an inopportune flu was another obstacle, and Cameroon players’ kicks finally stopped him. That happened on June 8th, 1990, in the Giusseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan; Cameroon 1, Argentina 0; one of the most painful defeats in Maradona’s career.
Like many other times, the fact was getting angry and starting from zero again, or let him down and fall. They finally got started little by little. And thanks to the penalty shootouts, and goalkeeper Goycochea (Goyco), they managed to reach their aim. They arrived to the final match. Despite the fact they had some players suspended and some injured, including Diego, they were there. But before that, they had to eliminate Italy in the semifinals. Argentina won in the penalty shootout after a score of 1-1, in the San Paolo Satadium. For Diego, that was like his death sentence. It was logical then to see that, on July 8th, 1990, in the Olympic Stadium in Rome, during the final match of the World Cup, the Mexican referee Codesal ignored a penalty from Matthäus against Calderón, and gave one of Sensini against Völler. It was a second place. For Diego that was useless, as second places are never celebrated.
Diego cried inside the field when everything was over. He was very sad and cried, but the people in the stadium did not understand his sadness and booed him. That was one of Diego’s worst shocks in his life. "I would have never imagined that there could be so many people happy with my own sadness", he said at that time.
It was hard for him to return to the National Team after so much pain. More than two and a half years. On February 18th, 1993, during the celebrations for the Argentine’s Football Association centenary, he played against Brazil in the Monumental Stadium. He had already been named, fairly, the greatest argentine football player in history.
And, after that damned fifteen months’ suspension in 1991, when there were few people who believed in his return, there he was again, leading Coco Alfio Basile’s team towards World Cup ’94 qualification. Australia saw him celebrate his 33rd birthday and the chance for his fourth World Cup.
He was very good indeed. He was the best of all. The miracle had occurred. On June 21st, 1994, he celebrated and shouted his goal against Greece, and fought against Nigeria. He could not fight against the FIFA; they looked for something, and something they found. And he was sent off.
He was just sent off from a World Cup. They will never be able to take him out from history.
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