Stig Östlund

torsdag, juni 23, 2011

25 years ago today - Maradona's immortal 11-second dash

Eleven seconds. That is all it took for Diego Maradona to conjure up the most stunning piece of brilliance of his entire career, a goal so flawless in its execution and so far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals that it almost defies belief.

Those 11 seconds took place 25 years ago today, during Argentina’s quarter-final against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico™, when Maradona left an indelible mark on the competition by scoring what was voted the FIFA World Cup Goal of the Century. That goal is, of course, the slaloming run and ice-cool finish that gave La Albiceleste a two-goal lead en route to a 2-1 victory in that oft-remembered match.

“Violent emotions are something you read about on the crime pages in newspapers, but after what happened to me when that goal went in I think I know all about violent emotions.”

The words are those of the Uruguayan journalist and commentator Victor Hugo Morales, a resident of Argentina for 30 years now, who tearfully and vividly described that goal for millions of radio listeners:

“Maradona on the ball now. Two closing him down. Maradona rolls his foot over the ball and breaks away down the right, the genius of world football. He goes past a third, looks for Burruchaga. Maradona forever! Genius! Genius! Genius! He’s still going… Gooooal! Sorry, I want to cry! Good God! Long live football! What a goal! A memorable run from Maradona. The greatest solo goal of all time. Cosmic Kite, which planet did you come from?”

Often recited, that memorable piece of commentary is a faithful account of those 11 seconds of footballing perfection. Maradona collected the ball in his own half, span away from two opponents and set off on an unforgettable run, his chest puffed out defiantly, his tongue sticking out, magic flowing from his left foot.

It was a sequence of events that even the man himself has found hard to credit, as he wrote in his autobiography: “Whenever I watch it again I can hardly believe I pulled it off. It was incredible. I wanted to blow up photos of it and put a montage above my bed along with photos of Dalma – my only daughter at the time – and the words: ‘The best things in my life’. That’s all.” /FIFA

"Sorry, I want to cry! Good God! Long live football! What a goal! A memorable run from Maradona. The greatest solo goal of all time. Cosmic Kite, which planet did you come from?"
Victor Hugo Morales's commentary following Maradona's wonder goal at the Azteca


                     Världens bäste fotbollsspelare genomhela fotbollshistorien!

                     

Argentinos Juniors
Diego Armando Maradona.
Smeknamn:El Diego, El Diez, Pelusa, El Pibe de Oro, "D10S".
Född den 30 oktober 1960 i Lanús, Buenos Aires,
Argentina. 

Maradona i Argentinska
Boca Juniors

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