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
The legacy of Brazilian football legend Pelé has taken a new turn after Neymar Santos Sr, father of Brazil star Neymar Jr, confirmed the acquisition of the commercial rights to Pelé’s name and image through his agency, NR Sports.
Speaking at the Pelé Museum in Santos, Brazil, Neymar Sr said the deal marks a new chapter for one of the most iconic brands in global sport.
“We are proud. I think it’s a very strong brand. We want to strengthen its identity and adapt it to the current era,” he said, describing the project as deeply emotional and nationally significant.
Although financial details were not officially disclosed, Brazilian media estimate the acquisition at around $18 million. The rights had previously belonged to US-based company Sport 10, which many in Brazil accused of underdeveloping a national treasure.
A ‘Repatriation’ of Pelé’s Legacy
NR Sports described the agreement as a “repatriation” of Pelé’s brand—bringing back to Brazil “one of the greatest symbols in the history of world sport.”
Pelé’s daughter, Flavia, attended the announcement and welcomed the move, saying the family had tried—and failed—to reacquire the rights after Pelé’s death in 2022.
“There are no words to describe the emotion of bringing back a brand that embodies soul, humanity, and love. It’s priceless,” she told AFP.
The unveiling was accompanied by an emotional tribute at the Pelé Museum, which erected a massive green screen with Pelé’s iconic logo. A video shared on Pelé’s and NR Sports’ official accounts celebrated the “universal language” of Brazilian football, showing some of the King’s most memorable goals from his World Cup triumphs in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Neymar Jr: ‘Pelé Was Born to Change Everything’
Neymar Jr, who recently returned to Pelé’s former club Santos and has surpassed the King as Brazil’s all-time top scorer, featured in a promotional video congratulating his father’s company.
“Some are born to play, others are born to change the game. Pelé was born to change everything,” the 33-year-old forward said. “Pelé never stopped being one of us, and now he is officially part of Brazil, again and forever.”
A New Era for an Underused Global Brand
For years, Pelé’s image rights were more prominently exploited abroad than at home—a situation that drew criticism from the family and Brazilian football circles. The new deal is expected to revitalise the Pelé brand through modern marketing, partnerships, and heritage initiatives anchored in Brazil.
“This is the beginning of a motivating project for us. We are very moved,” Neymar Sr added.
Pelé, who died in December 2022 at age 82, remains an enduring symbol in Santos, São Paulo state, where he played from 1956 to 1974 and where thousands still visit his mausoleum.
With the rights now back in Brazilian hands, NR Sports says the goal is clear: preserve, expand, and enrich the legacy of the King of Football for generations to come.
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Lionel Messi expressed his wish to one day return to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on Monday, having made a brief visit to see the newly revamped stadium where he spent 21 years of his illustrious career.
The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner, who joined Barca’s youth academy at age 13 and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, left the Catalan side in 2021 when they could not make it financially viable to keep him.
Having won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi now plays for Inter Miami after two years with Paris St Germain.
Barca reopened the Camp Nou on Friday, 895 days after its closure, unveiling a revamped stadium by staging an open training session attended by 21,795 fans.
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner wrote on Instagram on Monday.
“I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do.”
Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami in October, and has previously said that the Major League Soccer club would likely be his last.
“You’re always welcome at your home, Leo,” Barca posted on X.
-Reuters
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Argentina has paid a powerful tribute to its greatest football icon, Diego Armando Maradona, by unveiling a special commemorative silver coin celebrating both the late legend’s 65th birthday and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The coin, released on October 30 — the date that would have marked Maradona’s 65th birthday — honours his unforgettable solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, often described as “the goal of the century.”
The Central Bank of Argentina announced that the limited-edition coin features a football motif on one side, while the reverse captures Maradona’s legendary dribble from his own half, past five English defenders, before coolly slotting the ball home in Mexico City.
That match, etched in global memory, also produced another of football’s most talked-about moments — the “Hand of God” goal, scored just minutes earlier. Together, those two goals defined not only a game but an era, as Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, their second in history.
“This coin immortalizes a symbol of Argentine pride — a goal that transcended sport to become a moment of national identity,” said the Central Bank in a statement.
The release is also timed to build excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — marking 40 years since Maradona’s most celebrated tournament.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, remains one of football’s most revered figures. His blend of artistry, audacity, and passion continues to inspire generations of players and fans alike.
Across Argentina, tributes poured in from fans, clubs, and former teammates, with many visiting murals, statues, and shrines dedicated to the No.10. In Buenos Aires, street musicians played “Live is Life” — the anthem that once accompanied Maradona’s famous pre-match warm-up routine at Napoli — as a reminder of his enduring magic.
For Argentina, this special-edition coin is more than a collector’s item; it is a national homage to an eternal legend, a man whose left foot and spirit still define the heartbeat of Argentine football.
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