CELEBRITY
HAPPY 60TH, DIEGO MARADONA, FIFA PAYS TRIBUTE TO A LIVING LEGEND
Diego Maradona, the Argentine football legend celebrates his 60th birthday this Friday. He was just nine when he told a television reporter that his biggest wish was to play at a FIFA World Cup.
Those black-and-white images, from a curly-haired kid who wooed viewers with his incredible ball skills, would reverberate throughout his career and mark a before and after with the Argentina national team.
FIFA.com pays tribute to Maradona by looking back at some of his most inspirational moments of his international career from debut to first disappointment.
Maradona was already a teen sensation with Argentinos Juniors when he made his Albiceleste debut in February 1977 in a friendly against Hungary at La Bombonera, one of the stadiums that would also witness his heroics at club level.
At 16 years and 130 days, he became the youngest player to represent Argentina – a record which still remains. Maradona came on in place of Leopoldo Luque and, while he failed to score in the 5-1 win, he managed to demonstrate his undoubted quality, just as he did in subsequent preparation games for Argentina 1978.
However, it proved insufficient to earn him a place in the squad that would go on to win the title on home soil, providing the first major disappointment of his bourgeoning career.
“When I was omitted from the squad for ‘being too young’, I began to realise that my anger could be a fuel for me,” he would later say.
Under the stewardship of Cesar Menotti, the same coach who had left him out of the squad for Argentina 1978, Maradona proved his worth by leading La Albiceleste to the title at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Japan 1979™.
His dazzling performance, a foretaste of what would happen seven years later in Mexico, earned him the adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
His six goals secured him the adidas Silver Boot as second-best scorer. Notably, he found the net once in the quarters, semis and final, underlining his ability to produce on the big occasion.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/syB-iBnxMvw?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=False&playsinline=1 The frustration that carried over from Spain 1982, when his World Cup ended with a red card in the defeat to Brazil, only fuelled Maradona’s desire to make amends at Mexico 1986.
With Carlos Bilardo at the helm, ‘El Diez’ produced one of the most impactful individual performances in the history of the World Cup and contributed enormously to Argentina’s title.
His goals against England in the quarter-finals are now part of footballing lore. For the first, he converted with his hand without the referee noticing, famously claiming afterwards that it had been “with the hand of God”.
The second, however, was one of the finest individual efforts of all time. “Cosmic kite, which planet did you come from?” shouted Uruguayan commentator Victor Hugo Morales in immortalising the goal.
With five goals and five assists, Maradona had a hand in ten of his side’s 13 strikes in Mexico, picking up the adidas Golden Ball as well as Silver Boot. And though he did not manage to score in the Final, he did provide the assist for the winning goal in the 3-2 victory.
Maradona and Argentina went into Italy 1990 with injury and form concerns and made very hard work of the group phase. Once again Maradona was instrumental, even preventing a goal with his arm against Soviet Union that went unpunished, as his side progressed to the Round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.
He followed his exquisite assist for Claudio Caniggia’s winner in the 1-0 defeat of Brazil with a missed penalty against Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals. But Maradona would make amends in the semi-final against Italy in Naples, where, ironically, he played his club football at the time. Inevitably, Maradona would score during the penalty shootout that denied the hosts a place in the Final of their World Cup.
“That was the penalty that caused me the most anguish in my life… But I was the one who knocked Italy out,” he later told FIFA TV. His tears on collecting his runners-up medal after losing the Final to Germany would forever seal his bond with generations of Argentina fans. https://www.youtube.com/embed/2GthALlujpg?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=False&playsinline=1
Diego Maradona’s death “would have been avoided” if the medical team around him had done their job, his daughter Dalma accused on Tuesday at the trial of health professionals of the circumstances of the death of the Argentine football idol
Dalma, 38, the elder of Maradona’s two daughters with his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, was a star witness on the 11th day of the trial in San Isidro (north of Buenos Aires). And like others since the start of the trial, she blamed the caregivers of her father’s final weeks and the framework of his convalescence.
” If they had done their job, (his death) would have been avoided,” Dalma said, referring to the medical team and in particular to three of the accused: attending physician and neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz.
” They deceived us (the family) in the most cruel way (…) They made us believe that the only possible option was to convalesce at home after his operation, in a house that was rented for the occasion in Tigre (north of Buenos Aires),” Dalma said.
According to them, ” it would be a serious home hospitalisation,” Diego would have everything like in a clinic, but in a house,” with 24/7 medical attention, medical equipment, an ambulance at the door permanently, she continued.
” It never happened,” she said in a statement often interrupted by tears. In this “disgusting, piss-smelling ” house, a doctor only came to see him from time to time.”
Maradona died at the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, from a cardiorespiratory crisis complicated by pulmonary oedema, in this private residence, where he had been convalescing for two weeks after neurosurgery for a head hematoma.
Seven practitioners – doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses – are accused of “homicide with possible intent”, characterised when a person commits negligence while knowing that it can lead to death.
Mr. Luque, who was close to Maradona, ” was his primary care physician, and I didn’t think he was recommending something that wouldn’t be best for my father,” Dalma continued.
With his sister Gianinna ” we didn’t have much influence, we could say what we thought but didn’t decide anything .” Sometimes someone from the care team or from the entourage would say “that Dad was sleeping, sometimes that he didn’t want to see anyone,” that the best thing was not to disturb him. “
” In hindsight, we should have decided.”
Last Tuesday, Veronica Ojeda, ex-partner and mother of Maradona’s son born in 2013, testified that the star’s close entourage “kept him as if he were sequestered” in the last months of his life.
The practitioners on trial, who deny any responsibility for the death, are seeking sentences of 8 to 25 years in prison. The trial is expected to last until July, with one or two hearings per week.
–Le360 (with AFP)
Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava found out the hard way that there are consequences for seeking an autograph from eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner Lionel Messi — he was hit with a CONCACAF disciplinary sanction.
As the final whistle blew on Inter Miami’s 1-0 Champions Cup win over Sporting Kansas City, secured by a brilliant second-half goal from Messi, the referee known as ‘El Gato’ approached the Argentina international.
He appeared to be asking for the striker’s shirt to join the Messi-mania, but it turned out he was actually requesting an autograph for a relative with special needs.
Despite the heartfelt request, Ortiz’s actions did not comply with CONCACAF’s code of conduct for officials.
“Upon investigation, CONCACAF has learned that the referee approached the player to request an autograph for a family member with special needs,” the North American football governing body said in a statement to ESPN.
Although the exact nature of the disciplinary action was not disclosed, CONCACAF added that Ortiz accepted full responsibility for his actions and apologised for his breach of protocol.
The first leg of the premier continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean was initially postponed due to a winter storm warning in the area.
Inter Miami will host Sporting in the return leg at Chase Stadium on Tuesday.
“The referee’s actions were not in accordance with the confederation’s code of conduct for match officials and the procedures in place for these types of requests.”
Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The world’s top athletes don’t just dominate on the field—they lead the way financially, too.
From football icons to basketball superstars, these elite performers are earning staggering sums through salaries, endorsements, and off-field ventures.
Using data from Sportico, sportsunlimitednews breaks down the top 10 highest-paid athletes globally.
10. Jon Rahm
On December 2023, Jon Rahm announced he was joining LIV Golf after a very successful stint at the PGA, earning 11 PGA Tour wins since joining in 2016. Now signed under LIV Golf, the Spaniard is considered one of the best-paid athletes in the world, accumulating $85.6 (€82.3/£68.55) million in winnings and $20 (€19.2/£16) million on endorsement deals
9. Kylian Mbappe
Following his massive transfer to Real Madrid in 2024, Kylian Mbappe is now ranked the 9th highest-paid athlete in the world. The French forward earns $85 (€81.6/£68.9) million in salary and $25 (€24/£20) million in endorsements, totalling $110 (€105/£88) million—a ‘galactico’ price tag for one of the best players in the world.
8. Karim Benzema
Another former Real Madrid star, Karim Benzema is ranked amongst the top ten best-paid athletes in the world following his move to Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia). The French striker earns $108 (€103/£86.4) million alongside $8 (€7.6/£6.4) million in endorsements.
7. Oleksandr Usyk
Up next, we have an undisputed heavyweight champion, who took down Tyson Fury for a second time in 2024. Oleksandr Usyk is arguably one of the best fighters in the world right now, and his earnings reflect that. The Ukrainian makes an average of $120 (€115/£96) million in winnings alongside $2 (€1.9/£1.6) million on endorsements, standing on $122 (€117/£97.7) million.
6. Neymar Jr.
Neymar Jr. is in the final stages of his professional football career. The former Barcelona and PSG man has enjoyed a successful stint across multiple teams around the world. Now in Santos FC, the Brazilian star is still considered one of the highest-paid players in the world, earning a $108 (€103/£82) million salary and $25 (€24/£20) million in endorsements.
5. LeBron James
The Los Angeles Lakers veteran and NBA star is ranked fifth in the world following his jaw-dropping $85 (€81.6/£68.3) million endorsement deals with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Alongside his endorsements, he cashes in a salary of $48.2 (€46.3/£38.6) million a year.
4. Lionel Messi
The Inter Miami star has one of the most lucrative contracts in world football. The Argentinian forward earns $60 (€57.6/£48) million a year, alongside $75 (€72/£60) million on endorsement deals. He is linked to Louis Vuitton, Mastercard and Pepsi.
3. Tyson Fury
The ‘Gypsie King’ is ranked third in the world, despite his recent losses and retirement announcement in late 2024. Fury cashed in $140 (€134.4/£112) million in winnings alongside $7 (€6.7/£5.6) million in endorsement deals, a very fruitful 2024 for the former British heavyweight champ.
2. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry can still boast of having the highest-paying salary in the NBA for the eighth straight year. According to ESPN, his Golden State deal is worth around $55 (€52/£41.2) million this season. On top of that, the American point guard earns $100 (€95/£79.9) million in endorsements.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo still ranks at the top as the best-paid athlete in the world. The Al-Nassr star earns a jaw-dropping $215 (€206/£171.9) million salary, alongside $45 (€43.1/£35.9) in endorsements from Armani, Herbalife, TAG Heuer, and Clear Shampoo.
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Nigeria Premier League attains a crescendo this weekend
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Morocco 2025: Nigeria qualify for FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL7 days ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY4 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON7 days ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- feature4 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu