Diego Maradona (Argentina)

World Cups

1982, 1986, 1990, 1994

Appearances 21

Goals 8

Aggressive, outrageously skilful and streetwise, Diego Armando Maradona Franco was one of the world’s great playmakers, the subject of world record transfer fees that took him to Barcelona and Napoli, and the man who inspired Argentina to claim the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He made his debut at club level at 15, winning a first senior cap a year later only to be omitted, at 17, from his country’s home World Cup in 1978 because César Luis Menotti feared he was too young to cope with the pressure. He featured in Spain in 1982 and, having been on the end of some brutal tackles from Claudio Gentile against Italy, was sent off for a foul on Brazil’s Batista as the team exited at the second group stage.

In Mexico his devious “Hand of God” handball, palming a finish over Peter Shilton, went unnoticed though the jaw-dropping 60-yard dribble past five panicked England outfield players and clipped finish moments later sealed his reputation as a great. Fifa voted that the competition’s best ever goal. The captain scored twice in the semi-final, got an assist for Jorge Burruchaga’s decisive goal in the final and was voted Golden Ball winner for his five goals and five assists. His displays at Italia 90 were hampered by injury, but he did set up the winner against Brazil in the second round, and was voted the tournament’s third best player as Argentina succumbed in the final. Drug problems followed, with a suspension for using cocaine in March 1991, and he was sent home from the 1994 finals after testing positive for ephedrine.