Diego Maradona and the 1986 World Cup

We can recall the 1978 World Cup when, due to a disagreement with the coach of the Argentine national team, Maradona could not be included in the country’s main team and missed the World Cup, which was held in Argentina and ended with the triumph of the hosts. At this world championship, it is difficult for anyone to criticize the winning team for not taking the rising star to the tournament.

Then there was the 1982 World Cup, where already established football player and bright eye Diego Maradona was the leader of the Argentines. However, football is a difficult game, and it became clear that it is impossible to win the most prestigious football tournament with the talent and hype of one football player.

Maradona at Boca Juniors

In addition to the world championships, Maradona had a distinguished career in Argentine club football until 1986, in Argentina Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, and Napoli. He had already won prestigious club tournaments, but his talent was doubtful until 1986 when the world championship began.

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Argentina’s Road to the 1986 World Cup triumph

Argentina’s path to the championship was not easy; as you know, 10 national teams compete in the South American football zone, and getting to the World Championship is not so easy. When you have Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, and other strong national teams as your rivals, it is difficult to easily pass the way to the World Cup.

The 1986 World Cup was held in Mexico, and in the group stage, Argentina’s current champion, Italy, the outstanding team of Asia, South Korea’s national team, and the very promising Bulgarian team awaited. With Jorge Buruchaga and Jorge Valdano, Diego Maradona led the team to the playoffs as the group’s winner.

Maradona and the ‘Hand Of God’

In the round of 16, the Argentinians defeated the neighboring Uruguay team with a minimal score. In the quarter final stage, they faced one of the tournament’s favorites, the English national team. In England, Maradona offered us the goal scored by the so-called “hand of God” when he reached the English goalkeeper after a seemingly innocuous pass by Jorge Valdano and scored a goal with his hand. 

From the original perspective, the ball was not actually hit by Maradona’s hand, and everyone thought that Maradona had won an aerial battle with the English goalkeeper Peter Shilton. He scored a goal with his head. Then, the main referee did not have the opportunity to see the video replay, and the goal was counted despite the protests of the English.

Maradona’s “hand of God” would probably make everyone doubt Maradona’s talent again. Still, in the same match, Diego scored the best goal in the history of football, according to many, when he dribbled the ball from the center to the opponent’s penalty area, bypassed six players of the English team, and scored a goal into an empty net. With this goal, Maradona took a serious step towards the team’s final triumph.

World Cup Glory

In the semi-finals, Maradona’s real benefit took place against the strongest Belgian national team, where the Europeans could not do anything to the football wizard and lost by two goals. There is an iconic moment from this match when 6 Belgian players can be seen in the frame against Maradona, despite such a tight defensive game, Argentina still won and faced West Germany in the final.

In the final, the Argentines already knew that the main focus of the Germans would be against Maradona, and they used it perfectly; even though Maradona did not score in the final, the Argentines won with a score of 3-2, and Maradona played a big role in this victory.

The 1986 World Cup proved once again that despite his controversial moments, Diego Maradona was one of the greatest players in football.