biography
pronunciation:
[maradona]
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1960– )
|
| biography:
| Footballer, born in Lanus, E Argentina. He became Argentina's youngest ever international in 1977, transferred to Boca Juniors for £1 million as a teenager, and in 1982 became the world's most expensive footballer when he joined Barcelona for £5 million. He broke the record again in 1984 when the Italian club Napoli paid £6·9 million for him. He captained Argentina to their second FIFA World Cup win in 1986, having eliminated England in the quarter-finals when he scored a highly controversial goal. At the height of success, his career then foundered amid accusations of drug-taking. Following a 15-month ban, he returned by popular demand, though without a club, to the World Cup side as captain in 1994, but was again suspended from the team following a positive drug test. He signed for Santos in 1995 and announced his retirement in 1997. |
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