In Retrofootball® we like to relive football legends through their skills and goals in the field and the mythical shirts they wore. Today we review the life of one the greatest legends football ever seen through the shirts he wore throughout his career: Diego Armando Maradona. We start with the shirts he used to wear with the albiceleste.
Argentina 1978 World Cup. The 1978 World Cup was a disappointment for the Pibe. Maradona was pre-selected by Cesar Luis Menotti to participate in the World Cup hosted by Argentina. However, Maradona did not enter the final list of the El Flaco, who said that Maradona was too young. The rest is history. Tthe Argentinians raised their first World Cup trophy in an exciting final against Holland known for its Total Football of 1974. El Matador Mario Alberto Kempes decided in the extra-time with two goals of claw; leading the Argentina National Team to raise their first World Cup.
Maradona’s Argentina 1978 shirt: a very classic design long sleeve shirt, with albiceleste lines with more width than usual; with a centered light blue strip and the AFA shield on left chest.
Maradona at the 1982 FIFA World Cup: Diego Armando's first World Cup. Argentinians didn’t shine as expected of them. They had a tough first group stage, losing the opening match in Barcelona against Belgium. Then they easily won against Hungary and El Salvador. However, that first defeat sent them in the Death Group of phase 2 with Brazil by Zico and Socrates and and Italy by Paolo Rossi and Scirea. Argentina lost both games and left the World Cup with a bittersweet feeling.
Argentina 1982 shirt: Argentina National Football Team was equipped by Le Coq Sportif for the World Cup in Spain. The rooster brand designed a classic kit with the neck shaped peak, short sleeves and narrower albiceleste stripes than in the 1978 shirt. AFA shield incorporated some laurels at the base.
It should be remembered that Argentina wore the AFA shield for the first time in a 1976 friendly against the Soviet Union that ended 0-0. The design was by Norberto "Toto" Rud, a young businessman and designer who convinced the AFA of the suitability of wearing a coat on the shirt as European teams like Germany or France used to do at that time. In the 70s football was still black and white and it was possible to confuse the players Argentinians footballers on television. That was Toto's main argument to convince the AFA executives.
Maradona at Mexico 86 World Cup: the World Cup in Mexico 86 was the Maradona’s World Cup. All the football lovers remember how the Argentinian star played his best football to lead the Albiceleste to raise his second title. In that World Cup Diego Armando had an absolute leading role, with his legendary quarterfinal match against England in which he scored the best goal of the century and also the Hand of God goal. In the semifinals against Belgium Maradona scored the two goals for Argentina and in the final against Germany Maradona gave the magisterial assistance to Burruchaga's third goal that gave the title to Argentina.
Argentina 1986 Maradona shirt: Maradona Mexico 86 home shirt had the white box-shaped neck and the finest albiceleste stripes than those of the 78 and 82 World Cup. Le Coq Sportif designed a t-shirt was openwork to facilitate the perspiration due to the high temperatures in Mexico.
Argentina Away Shirt Argentina 86: On the other hand, Argentina dressed in the Round of 16 game against Uruguay with the second blue kit. However that model didn’t have that little transpiration holes so the Argentinians sweat the fat drop and Bilardo refused to use the same model in the quarterfinals against England. So, before the quarterfinal match against England, the AFA employee Ruben Moschella had to look in Mexico for the shirts of the Le Coq brand to serve. If you want to know more about the anecdote a great source is the magazine El Grafico in an article dedicated especially to narrating the situation. In Homemade video recordings made by Olarticoechea, Jorge Burruchaga says to the camera: "Unbelievable. One day left to play against England and these women are fixing the shirt.” Maradona and his teammates proudly wore the Argentina 86 shirt second kit in blue made the day before.
Maradona at Italia 90: in the 1990 World Cup held in Italy Argentina could not repeat the title. They lost the final against Germany, after a penalty scored by Brehme in the final minutes of the match. That World Cup marked the end of the Maradona stage in Italy. After the victory of the Argentinan star gainst Italy at San Paolo Stadium in the semifinals of the World Cup, nothing was the same for El Pibe.
Maradona Argentina 1990 shirt: for the Italian World Cup 1990 Argentina wore the brand Adidas. They showed-off a very classic model with a V-neck, with small albiceleste stripes. The model reminds to the shirt worn by the albiceleste in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. The blue stripes are a little narrower than those of 1986.
Maradona in the United States 1994 World Cup: a World Cup to forget for Argentina and Maradona. It was the last World Cup for Diego, who had to leave the team after testing ephedrine positive in the match against Nigeria. That exclusion destroyed the morale of the Argentinians and they were eliminated by Hagi's Romania in the knockout stages after losing 3 to 2.
One of the worst moments in the history of Argentinian football. Thus, on June 30, 1994 Maradona declared "I did not get high, they chop off my legs".
Argentina 1994 shirt Maradona: in the United States World Cup Argentina renewed the contract with Adidas. The Albiceleste kit was the traditional one with the novelty of the V-neck and white sleeves not including the light blue color. The second kit was blue with darker blue rhombuses, a design used by Adidas in the diverse Adidas kits for that World Cup.
As for the shirts that Maradona wore in the different clubs in which he played, we remember below the most relevant moments in the clubs he played for.
Maradona in Argentinos Junios: “Prof, I have a friend who plays better than me. Can I bring it next week?" With these words Goyo Carrizo announced to the children's coach "Francis" Cornejo that there was a kid who played soccer better than him and that his name was Diego Armando Maradona. As Cornejo wrote in his book he was able to see the small miracle of seeing an eight-year-old kid doing wonders with the ball in his test with Argentinos Juniors. Maradona entered the club with which he debuted in the first division on October 20, 1976. On the half-time of the game against Talleres de Córdoba, Diego Maradona replaced Rubén Giacobetti in the National Championship, Maradona debuted 10 days before to turn 16. Diego was in Argentinos Juniors until 1980, scoring 116 goals (the top scorer of the Club in the First Division). Maradona led Argentinos to be the runners-up for the the Metropolitan Championship in 1980, the best classification in the club's history.
In Argentinos Juniors Diego wore the mythical red shirt of the club with a white crew neck collar and some variant with the white diagonal stripe on the red shirt.
Maradona in Boca Juniors: Diego is traded to Boca Juniors and debuts with the Xeineze on February 22, 1981. The team wins 4 to 1 against Talleres de Cordoba, with two Maradona goals. Thus begins the love story between Maradona and Boca Juniors that still lasts. The Xeineze would win the 1981 Metropolitan title, the only title Maradona won with Boca.
Maradona shirt in Boca Junior was from Adidas, with the traditional blue and yellow colors of the xeineze club. On the left chest,notizia four stars above the yellow stripe with the initials of the club: CABJ. A legend shirt for the great Argentine soccer legend.
Maradona at FC Barcelona: in June 1982 a bombshell rocked the Football Industry. Maradona signed for FC Barcelona (that followed him for a few years) and came to Europe to play in the Spanish League. A team like Barcelona which had not won the League for many years decided to bring the player with the most valuable player of the moment. El Pelusa signed for 1200 million pesetas (about € 7.2 million, a figure that broke all records at that time). His time at FC Barcelona left some lights and also shadows. In the Catalan club he suffered a hepatitis and a serious ankle injury suffered in San Mamés after an hard entry by Goicoechea.
Therefore, in the two seasons he wore Barça he could not show his full potential. Even so, with Barcelona he won a Copa del Rey against the eternal rival of Real Madrid with a 2-1 win; a match in which Maradona emerged. He also won a League Cup also won at the Bernabeu. His mythical play in the second goal with assist to Agustín and Juan Jose that is stamped against the left stick is still remembered.
Barcelona Maradona T-Shirt: Maradona's shirt in Barcelona was a polo-shirt kit; one of the best design by the Meyba brand.
Maradona in Napoli: in the summer of 1984, after finishing tired of the Spanish League, Maradona signed for the Napoli of President Corrado Ferlaino. A SSC Napoli that was almost descending to the second italian division was made with the services of the Argentine star. In Naples Maradona could shine as the leader of the Neapolitan team. During his 6 years at the Club, Maradona raised the only two scudettos the Club has won in its history and a UEFA Cup. After two seasons in which the team was formed, and after conquering the 1986 World Cup, Maradona started the 1986-87 season convinced that they could win the title. The defining moment came at the Stadio Comunale in Turin on November 9, 1986, when Napoli won with authority against Juventus, the current champion, by 3 to 1. In that game the Napoli players were convinced that with Maradona's strength and will to win could win the Scudetto. On May 10, 1987, ecstasy occurred. Napoli had won its first scudetto after a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina. The team from the south (the first club from the south in history to win the Italian League), the Napoli, was pleased to raise the Scudetto before the power of the north.
The Napoli Maradona shirt of that first scudetto is a mythical model. On the chest the sponsor Buitoni, famous pasta maker from Italy. Equipped by the Nicola Raccuglia brand, on the left side the technical sponsor NR and on the right the shield of the Club.
So in season 1987-88 Napoli Maradona's shirt had the Scudetto (champion's Italian coat of arms) and the patch with the Italian colors for being the League Cup winners in addition from the Technical NR sponsor and Buitoni advertising. The Napoli emblem was relegated to the right sleeve, something unusual in the history of the club.
In season 89-90 the club raised its second Scudetto also under the leadership of Maradona, well accompanied by players like Ferrara, Alemao, Careca and a very young Gianfranco Zola.
Maradona Napoli shirt in season 1989-90 was also NR; although it changed the sponsor, being the Mars chocolate brand.
Stage in Sevilla FC: after his sanction in Italy, Maradona leaves Napoli to arrive at the Seville of Bilardo. On September 22, 1992, he signed his signing for the club from Seville.
In Sevilla Maradona had some glimpses of the great football class he had. He played on the spinal line accompanied by a young Diego Pablo Simeone.
Maradona Sevilla shirt 1992-93: Maradona shirt in Sevilla is the classic white of the club with a small red lines on the shoulder and red sleeve and mandarin collar style. A mythical shirt for Sevilla fans as one of the best players of the history.
Maradona's second kit in Sevilla is red with a white polo neck with red stripe in half. It also has white stripes on the shoulders. A red t-shirt reminiscent of its beginnings in Argentinos Juniors.
We conclude the review of the story of one of the gretest football legend and the shirts he wore. Surely we left a lot in the inkwell but it is that Maradona can not be described in 2000 words.
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