Oh. I understand. You are right. He was admired and praised as a genius in his days. But I was talking about today. Somehow people today talk less about Garrincha than other players, the so-called âcraquesâ, like Zico, SĂłcrates, Rivelino, Neymar, etc.
Even so, it is still possible to find in the bookstores an excellent biography called âEstrela SolitĂĄria - Um Brasileiro Chamado Garrinchaâ by Ruy Castro, that was adapted for theaters in 2003. This book is very good andshows a portrait of the man, the sport and a long lost country. According to Mr. Castro: âGarrincha was a genius with no idea of ââthat geniusâ.
Before that, in 1962, Garrincha had his life and career shown in a documentary.
I just learned that George Best (arguably a player who had the ball as tied to his boots with string as Maradona did - and also trashed his own reputation in later years) apparently died on the same day exactly 15 years ago. Some symmetry there (though George was one year older than Maradona when he died).
In his case he spent very little time in the MLS and is now - guess what - back at Chelsea as their manager. The man bleeds blue.
George was never quite the figure that Maradonna was though, willowy rather than tree trunk legs and didnât achieve as much. Obviously playing for NI didnât help but he didnât have Maradonnaâs greatness or longevity on the pitch.
And the (Edit) Star ran with thisâŠ
Imagine working for the Daily Star with less than a fifth of vodka in your system before walking in the door.
He left the life and entered the Realm of the Myth.
With the passing of time most England fans came to love him too. One poll among England supporters voted his first goal against Bobby Robsonâs side in the 1986 World Cup as the worst piece of cheating in football history. The same survey voted his second goal in the same match as the best goal in the history of football. It was hard to argue.
The Brexiters and right wing press are all being arseholes about his death. Fuck them all.
meanwhile, at La Bombonera, all the lights were turned off except for the ones in Maradonaâs executive box.
Not just Little League, but beer leagues too. For a UK example, in theory, if you can get enough people together to form a team, keep it running and solvent, and have both luck and skill in your favor, you could start from your local league and work up the ladder all the way to the Premier League. Of course, the real world doesnât necessarily work that way, but one can always dream.
It works both ways, though. A teamâs place in the Premier League is by no means guaranteed, and getting relegated can be a team-ending event for a club on the edge.
Anyone who loves Napoli as a football team loves Maradonna, he did the same things for them as he did for the national team, and his flaws, if Iâm honest, probably make them love him more.
The football pyramid is something like 20+ levels deep at the moment, and that doesnât include Sunday and pub leagues that are unaffiliated with the EFA.
Wimbledon FC did manage it, although it caused them problems as their old Plough Lane stadium wasnât up to the standards required especially after the Taylor report. They suffered from low attendances as they had to ground share with Crystal Palace FC.
No team who has been relegated from the Premier League has gone out of existence yet, but Macclesfield Town went into liquidation this summer after being relegated from the EFL. Bury FC are technically still a football club, but they have no team or league and it is highly unlikely that they will play another game.
I can understand their pride - the Falklands being so important to their economy after Brexit with their 3,000 people. 
I guess itâs also a nice beach retirement location they wonât need a visa for? Brisk!
I read a quote from an Argentine who said that âMessi is what every Argentine wanted to be, Maradona is what we are.â
I think that explains the passion that Argentines feel for the soccer player. Maradona is a portrait of the people of South America. For good and for bad.
He was so passionate and controversial that even after he died, he was able to rock the forum of an American blog. I bet he will end up getting a thread of his own here.
Perhaps that (eventually)⊠although right now thereâs tons of factual evidence proving his skills. Now in the Realm of Legends⊠maybe? 
Youâre right. It got better that way.
Sadly, heâs now a dead living legend.
By no means would I condone the Sunâs front page, thatâs straight disgusting, but England would have had a pretty clear path after Argentina in 1986, and every cup since itâs like theyâre cursed, often times not making it out of the group phase.
If youâre an old , bitter fan of England, you view the Hand of God as the goal that proved once and for all, the universe hates England football.
Again, no means condoning it, but thereâs a lot of people who put a lot of emotional weight with Maradonaâs cheating, and heâs never even apologized for it. (instead, heâs actually both denied he did it, and stated he was glad to do it.) I can see why people get fussy.
