Maradona: The Boy. The Rebel. The God.

by Guillem Balagué

The definitive new biography of a true global icon, from world-renowned football writer and journalist Guillem Balague

Diego Maradona is one of those rare individuals who has become a legend in his own lifetime. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, he also one the most controversial. In an international career with Argentina he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals, and played in four FIFA World Cups. In the 1986 ('hand of God') tournament in Mexico, he captained his nation and led them to victory over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. His vision, passing, ball control and dribbling skills, and his presence and leadership on the field, often electrified his own team's overall performance. Maradona's club career included spells in his own country at Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys, and in Europe dazzling spells with Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla. Yet his life was one of unflinching media attention and controversy, including tales of drug abuse and constant health issues.

Maradona's genius and skill long gone, he continues to fascinate every generation. Why is this? Why, at World Cup tournaments, do the world's television cameras still seek him out? What is it about him that has endured for so long and continues to hold so many - football and non-football fans alike - in such thrall? Why does a footballer have a "Church" dedicated to him in Argentina? What fosters such adulation and how does such adoration promote or encourage a self-destructive personality?

Guillem Balague relates the Maradona story as a succession of stories, none of them ever fully told before: The Unknown Maradona. This journey of exploration takes Guillem to Argentina, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, and finally to Dubai and Mexico. Diego will be the protagonist of these stories (some as short as a page, some much longer, some will be funny anecdotes, some a parabola of his life, and perhaps ours), that will take us from one continent to another, from one club to another. This book represents a psychological and sociological approach to the legend: one told via minor, major and formative incidents that occurred at specific moments in Maradona's life. Based on first-hand stories, they will be presented as vignettes that form a timeline to the present.

Genres: Biography, Sports, Football, Nonfiction, Soccer

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 8, 2021

Reviews

[Moshtagh hosein · Rating 3 out of 5]

انتظار داشتم اثر بهتری باشه،ولی جنبه ژورنالیستی اثر خیلی بیشتر بود،در واقع مارادونا در رسانه ها و مستندات جذاب تر هست .

[Kaveh Rezaie · Rating 5 out of 5]

از کودکی تا انتها را روایت می‌کند و همه چیز را هم مستند.
مارادونا هرشکلی زندگی کرد، هرگز نقاب نزد...
حرف‌های خداحفظی‌اش در ورزشگاه بوکاجونیورز شاید همه فلسفه فوتبال باشد:

« فوتبال زیباترین و سالم‌ترین ورزش دنیاست... نذارید کسی تو درستی این جمله تردید کنه...اگه اشتباهی از یه نفر سر بزنه، فوتبال نباید هزینه‌ش رو بده...من خطا کردم و تاوانش رو دادم. اما...اما توپ نه...نباید لکه‌ای روی توپ بیفته...»

رهبر و نابغه‌ای که در همه چیز افراط کرد...خوش‌گذرانی، سخت‌کوشی، اعتراض، فوتبال و ...

یاد مستند امیر کاستاریکا افتادم که ماردونا می‌گفت:
«امیر! میدونی من چه بازیکنی می‌شدم؟!...فقط اگه کوکائین مصرف نمی‌کردم...»

کاش امسال بود و همه قهرمانی‌ها را می‌دید...

[Mal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of Maradona is probably the greatest footballing story ever told. But the English language is as yet to produce a book that is worthy of that same story. This book is just the latest in a long line that have tried but failed.

[Amin Houshmand · Rating 4 out of 5]

بهشت و جهنم در جایی از زندگی به هم می‌رسند…

مارادونا نقطه به هم رسیدن خیر و شر بود. نقطه‌ای در مرکز مداری که خارج از این جهان و هیاهویش سیر می‌کرد. پسر بچه‌ای مغرور از دریچه دوربین، و مردی که کلودیا برایش خدا بود. گیم بالاگه روایتی را در این کتاب ارائه کرده که باور کردنی نیست. نقطه شروع و پایان یک اسطوره؛ اسطوره مارادونا.

کتاب پر است از روایت یاغی‌گری‌های این پسر آرژانتینی و فراز و فرودهایی که گاهی پیش خودت فکر می‌کنی اگر لحظه‌ای جای ال پلوسا بودی، آیا توان ایستادن زیر بار سنگین «مارادونا بودن» را داشتی یا نه. حتی در فصلی از کتاب دیه‌گو رو به پزشکش در درمانگاه می‌گوید: «من بیست ساله که با این فشار زندگی کردم. تو دو روز نتونستی تحملش کنی.» مارادونا بودن سخت است.

در بخشی از کتاب خود دیه‌گو اعتراف می‌کند: «مهم نیست چه‌قدر اطرافت را با مردم پر کنی، در نهایت تنها هستی. من رو بلند کردند و روی قله گذاشتند، اما هیچ‌کسی به من نگفت باید چی‌کار کنم یا چه‌طور رفتار کنم.» مارادونا همین بود.

خواندن این کتاب عجیب بود. انگار که فیلمی از زندگی کسی را می‌بینی که ناگفته‌های زیادی دارد. از زندگی خصوصی‌اش، زندگی فوتبالی‌اش و حتی بی‌اخلاقی‌های از روی سادگی و خودبزرگ‌بینی‌اش. هرچقدر هم که مطمئن باشی او هم ممکن است خطاکار باشد، ولی در نهایت «مارادونا بودن» برایت اهمیت بیشتری پیدا می‌کند.

نوشتن در مورد او همیشه سخت است.
گیم بالاگه چه کتابی نوشته…

[María del Rosario Morelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Inleíble, tuve que abandonarlo a las pocas páginas, destila resentimiento, prejuicios y odio de clase. El motor de este libro no ha sido el interés periodístico, sino el interés económico, y se nota desde un principio.
Perdón Diego por caer en la trampa y darle de comer a estos buitres que solo buscan lucrar a expensas de tu figura.
Balagué, se te escapó la tortuga.

[Hamedborhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتابی درباره ی یکی از تاثیرگذارترین انسان های قرن بیستم ...
برای ما فوتبالی ها خیلی جذابه اما یقینا با توجه به اینکه به ابعاد شخصیتی و نقاط قوت و ضعف این شخصیت بزرگ پرداخته و سیر صعود و افول و عوامل تنزل حرفه ای و اخلاقی این اسطوره رو بیان کرده برای غیر فوتبالی ها هم میتونه یه داستان جذاب باشه.
آشنایی با بت پرستی آرژانتینی ها ...
آشنایی با شخصیتی که در اوج خودپرستی، فروتن و به فکر منافع جمعی بود...
نابغه ای بی بدیل که نسبت به سپاسگزار بودن از مواهبی که در اختیار داشت خیلی عاجز بود ...
مواهبی نظیر استعدادی بی مثال ، جسمی شکوفا و اعصاب مرکزی و محیطی ای بسی فرمانبردار و شاید مهمتر از همه همسری همراه و فداکار ...

[Elina · Rating 4 out of 5]

حقیقتا دلپذیر و دوست داشتنی
با یه ترجمه بی‌نظیر

[Jack Cienfuegos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque me duela como argentino, es bastante acertado si digo que lo que escribió el autor español acerca de Maradona es cierto.

No la tiró afuera con algunas cuestiones, agarró la pelota y dijo lo que se tenía que decir. Recorrió la vida futbolista del astro y la pintó tal cual fue en una recopilación muy buena y dejándonos en claro las posturas.

No se tomó reparo en hablar de su relación con Claudia ni tampoco con las drogas, tampoco fue desacertado cuando dibujó lo que hizo fuera del campo del juego con la FIFA y puertas adentro también mencionó muchas cosas.

Para el final deja reflexiones acerca de la figura tanto en Argentina como Nápoles. Enriqueciendo todo lo que fue un libro lleno de recortes, citas, etc.
Banco el libro aunque me haya disgustado un poco su postura feminista al hablar del legado de hinchas o del propio Maradona.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning book about the legend - nothing i can add at all. He was for me the greatest ever. Here are the best bits:

Los Culés, Barcelona fans, would arrive half an hour early to games just to watch Maradona's warm-ups. As a child Pep Guardiola was among their number and said, 'Diego would stand in the middle of the pitch, grab a ball and kick it high in the air. As it came down, first time and without it touching the grass, he sent it back up into the sky. Over and over, six or seven times, and he never left the centre-circle. I didn't even try. I know my limitations.

Once games started, Maradona showed a mastery of the ball that had not been seen in the Camp Nou before, able to control it as though in slow-motion. He could accelerate or brake instantaneously, and his sprints and pace intimidated any defender he ran at.
He put pinpoint passes to advantageous positions for his teammates.
Marcos Alonso's goalscoring record owes much to Diego's assists.
Pass him the ball poorly, and he returned it like a polished coin.
When things were going badly, he demanded the ball, using his will to drag his team back into it. Nobody was angrier after a defeat. It wasn't long before he became a leader on and off the pitch

The kid played football for up to ten hours sometimes, sometimes on his own, hitting the ball on the kerb, or against plant pots, unconsciously creating neuroreceptors during those many hours of
practice that were shaping his brain and his talent.

Before entering, she saw something shining on the kerb by the pavement and bent down. It was a star-shaped brooch, shiny on one side and dark on the other. A metaphor for the future perhaps. She pinned it to her blouse. Fifteen minutes later, at 7.05am on 30 October 1960, Diego was born with hair all over'.

Diego was her fifth child and first son. La Tota had arrived from Esquina five years earlier, in search of a better future, alongside daughter Ana and her mother, Salvadora Cariolichi, the daughter of Mateo Kriolic, who was born on 29 September 1847 in Prapunjak, a town near the city of Bakar, 150km from Zagreb in west Croatia. From all these confluences had just emerged Diego Armando
Maradona.

As the game was drawing to a close, he eluded five opponents and was up against the goalkeeper with a chance to win the game. He saw Wolff free in the six-yard box, drew the keeper and popped the ball to Wolff to poke home. Wolff, open-armed, froze on the spot. The ball grazed his ankle and went out of play.
What happened?' Diego asked. Wolff couldn't look him in the
face.
'Your play was so spectacular that I couldn't react. I couldn't believe what was happening. I was left watching and admiring, just like a fan.'

And a premonition: 'The body is your tool kit. From what I see, you have a very good physique; take care of it. In life, there is time for everything. There is time to go out, to have a drink, smoke a cigarette, go to bed late, eat whatever you fancy. But everything requires balance. If not, it's over too soon.

I got it into his head that school goals he did not need to make a hole in the goalkeepers chest he listened and landed. My pleasure, Ramon.

The problem is that when, as is natural, he stops being a child, the tendency remains to keep asking him to reproduce his childlike ingenuity. As such he will be denied the normal developmental phases of growing up, smoothing off the rough edges and becoming an adult. The journey of this type of player creates a flawed man
- always a kid on the pitch, but when he behaves as such off it we feel disturbed.

'For him a match was [a] show. At his best, he didn't need to warm up or concentrate, Ardiles told the Daily Mail. 'But before a game he would almost be in frenzy, using swear words to motivate himself and us. He would transmit just how much it meant to him.'

'He suddenly picked up some badly-folded socks, made them into a ball and just started keepy-uppies, pam pim pam.. One more touch, another and another. 'He got to about two hundred, remembers Marcos, and we were all sitting around the dressing room and looking at him: "What is this?"

He has prodigious technical qualities, dribbles easily, always from deep. He has a laser-beam eye for goal but knows how to pick a ball for the benefit of a better-placed teammate. Extraordinary reflexes. He protects the ball very well and can play it immediately and effectively. His short passes and shots are a pure wonder. Wonderful changes of pace

Despite Maradona's insistence for days, the president would not hand the passports to them. One day Diego turned up at the club offices and waited for Núñez in the trophy room, along with Schuster and Barça vice-president Casaus. 'The president is not here,' he was told. 'So Nuñez doesn't want to show his face? I'm going to wait for five minutes... If I don't get my passport, all these trophies, these divine trophies, especially the ones that are made of glass, I will throw them to the floor, one by one,' said Diego as he admitted in his Yo Soy El Diego. 'Let me know when we start,' responded Schuster.
Diego took the biggest one, the Teresa Herrera (an annual pre-season tournament in La Coruña) ... 'No, Diego,' begged Casaus. Too late:
Maradona threw it to the ground. It made such a noise..? Diego remembered with amusement. The club gave him his passport but managed to get the Spanish football federation to stop him travelling to Germany.

In Maradona's first match at Verona, local fans had unfurled an ironic banner: 'Welcome to Italy, an explicit declaration that the south of Italy was not considered part of the same country. Southerners were united by a particular outlook on life and the misfortunes they had suffered, such as the earthquake of 1980 or the demise of the Bank of Naples, once one of the wealthiest financial institutions in Italy. Diego had gone from being a 'spic' in Barcelona, the sudaca, to a terrone (a derogatory term that means 'from the land') in Naples, looked down on by the industrial north.

My father asked for the registry for Italian football players,' said ‹daughter Dalma in her book, God's Daughter. 'It didn't matter what club you played for, if you were registered as a professional footballer in Italy you would receive a seasonal card from Diego Maradona at the end of the year

None of them likes football, Maradona commented to Valdano at the end of a training session during the 1986 World Cup. He was referring to the journalists who were about to talk to some national team representatives. Diego laid a bet to confirm his suspicions. He kicked a ball with his usual precision to within a few metres of the press pack. If they passed it back with their feet, Valdano would win the bet. A reporter grabbed the ball with his hands and tossed it back, throw-in style. 'Poor guy. He was embarrassed to kick it back because you're here, Diego,' Jorge Valdano said, looking to justify the journalists. In an article for El Pais, the forward added, Diego was, as always, quick to retort: "If I am at a party at the presidents house in a dinner jacket and a muddy ball comes to me, I chest it and pass it back, as God commands."

On 10 May 1987, six decades after its foundation, Napoli occupied top spot and could not be shifted. The fans had fulfilled their dream, invading, the pitch and kick-starting the first of many days of celebrations. Maradona participated in them the only way he knew, crying, bellowing and hugging people, walking around the pitch and sharing in the exultation, arms raised. 'This is my home,' he repeated. In the changing rooms, naked players were jumping around like men possessed, singing, 'Ho visto Maradona, ey mamá, innamorato sono? (I saw Maradona, mum, and I'm in love'). Maradona joined in, topless but with the captain's armband still on. We created this Napoli from nothing!' he shouted, while someone started a new song. A million people, swathed in blue, invaded streets full of communal happiness and companionship, without a single serious incident.
A lot of people didn't turn up at work the next morning. Schools were opened, but attendance wasn't obligatory. Someone sprayed 'Che vi siete persi' ('What you just missed!') on Poggioreale Cemetery's wall

'We were flying once, sitting at the back, travelling discreetly, says Guillermo Blanco. Suddenly we hit a lot of turbulence, and the plane began to move as if it were disintegrating. The passengers were close to panicking, then a guy stood up and shouted, "Don't werry, friends. Nothing can happen to us. God is travelling on the plane!" The passengers broke into applause, turning their heads towards Diego. Naples lost itself with Maradona in the way sailors yielded to the city's mythological founder, the siren Parthenope.

The Brazilians were dominating the game, which was played in intense late-afternoon heat. On the stroke of half-time, a strong tackle from Ricardo Rocha left Argentina midfielder Pedro Troglio requiring treatment. The medical team came onto the pitch and brought water bottles with different branding to those the Argentinians were drinking. Brazil's wing back Branco drank from one supplied by Argentina's physio Miguel di Lorenzo. Branco soon began to feel nauseous and dizzy, a possible side-effect of the intense heat. Or possibly the result of Bilardo's instructions to Miguel di Lorenzo to mix a Rohypnol sleeping pill into the water.

Once, a player attempted an overly ambitious shot and Pochettino shouted out, 'Look at that guy! He thinks he's Maradona?' Mauricio, suddenly realising what he had just said, turned quickly to him waiting for a reaction. Maradona exploded with laughter. His Newell's debut was in a friendly against Emelec of Ecuador in October. El Coloso was filled to the rafters and there was a special little fan in attendance - none other than a six-year-old Leo Messi who was even asked to do (and did keepy-uppies on the pitch)

The players of both national teams were waiting in the tunnel for the referee for what seemed an eternity. Diego suddenly started hugging each of his opponents. Brother! My friend!' More and more hugs ensued. Maradona even greeted them by name. The Nigerians Couldn’t believe it. It was behaviour more associated with post match pleasantries. Rather than before a potential qualification decided. Not much was done by chance with Diego with regards to winning a game. It eventually kicked off. Maradona was barely touched by the rivals and Nigeria hardly put up walls for set pieces.

Mara-dona was the lead story for nearly all news sections one day in early November 2005: in politics, for leading the anti-George Bush march in Mar del Plata and for interviewing Fidel Castro; in culture, for auctioning off ten works by renowned artists; in entertainment, for the latest edition of his programme; and in sports, for meeting with AFA president Julio Grondona about a possible role with the national team, a proposition that was to come to fruition three years later.

[Luis Escuredo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me interesó la propuesta del libro ya que fue escrito por un español, lo que significa que puede tomar una distancia de lo que sería el objeto de estudio, en este caso Maradona.

Si bien no está totalmente completo, ya que no habla de su paso como director técnico de la selección nacional argentina, o de su paso por México y por Arabia, se cuenta la historia de Diego desde sus orígenes hasta el momento casi que abandona el fútbol o hace su partido de despedida. Me pareció un buen trabajo de investigación recomendable para leer, con algunas anécdotas interesantes desconocidas por mí hasta el momento. Recomendable.

[Ritattoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very detailed book of Maradona’s life and the persons who played important roles in his life. The reasons I don’t give 5 stars:
-even though the author emphasizes the importance of Claudia, hardly writes of her
-the short story with Barcelona took more chapters then the World Cup of 1986
-the summary was very negative and completely in disharmony with his life
My personal (very positive) opinion of Maradona just being reinforced by this book. I think he is the best ever and seeing the bureaucracy killing him (suspensions, punishments) is sooo sad: the world got an amazing, one-off talent who loved doing what he did and worked very hard and we never enjoyed the full power of his talent, because those in power, instead of helping and supporting, just destroyed him. The real mafia is FIFA, that’s long known.
There was a small incident in the book that describes of all the mental burden Maradona carried and couldn’t handle:
The Swiss doctor giving press conference of him and his treatment (which is outrageous!!!), saying that “he couldn’t take the media pressure”. Maradona immediately left the clinic, saying “so you cannot take this pressure for 2 days and you want to treat me, who takes it for 20 years?”

Don’t judge before knowing something. Maradona paid the highest price for his own life. And his only “sin” was to be the greatest footballer ever known.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read a book on Maradona before this one and, afterwards, I wondered how I missed out on the phenomenon. Here is a classic rags to riches, obscurity to fame cautionary tale. This is an excellent introduction to the subject matter and it does inspire me to read more. Balague uses sources from blogs, television, interviews, reports, newspapers, Twitter and the internet amongst others to flesh out the narrative. I would have preferred the same focus throughout but he ran out of steam towards the end, which probably reflects his desire to get the book to market following Maradona's death (ooops that may be a spoiler). The wonder is not that Diego died, it is that he went on so long.

I really enjoyed the opening chapters that focus on those around the footballer. I also enjoyed the chapters on his time at Naples and of course the 1986 World Cup semi-final.

Overall, a sympathetic treatment of a complex subject.

[Ibbo 🎄 · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 #32 🕊️⚽️🎊

“La va a tocar para Diego, ahí la tiene Maradona, lo marcan dos, pisa la pelota Maradona, arranca por la derecha el genio del fútbol mundial, deja el tendal y va a tocar para Burruchaga… ¡Siempre Maradona! ¡Genio! ¡Genio! ¡Genio! Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta… Gooooool… Gooooool… ¡Quiero llorar! ¡Dios Santo, viva el fútbol! ¡Golaaazooo! ¡Diegoooool! ¡Maradona! Es para llorar, perdónenme… Maradona, en recorrida memorable, en la jugada de todos los tiempos… Barrilete cósmico… ¿De qué planeta viniste para dejar en el camino a tanto inglés, para que el país sea un puño apretado gritando por Argentina? Argentina 2 – Inglaterra 0. Diegol, Diegol, Diego Armando Maradona… Gracias, Dios, por el fútbol, por Maradona, por estas lágrimas.”

[R M COTTEY · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book but it never got me captivated. It took me a while to read. It feels as though it was written in a language other than English and translated. There is nothing wrong with this but it made the written word on occasion a little confusing. There are a lot of names in the book which can make it a touch complicated to follow. Those are the negatives . The positives , it gives you a deep
Insight of the man , the player the confused genius who was Maradona. From his upbringing to his sad passing. Will there ever be another to grace our world.

[Giacomo Michelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro alla scoperta del “Dios” in tutta la sua genialità ma al tempo stesso alle sue fragilità.

[Littlx Sis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simplemente, Maradona

[Renato Garín · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Maradona: The Boy. The Rebel. The God" es una biografía ambiciosa en su alcance pero irregular en su ejecución. El periodista Guillem Balagué intenta capturar la esencia del mito de Diego Armando Maradona, abordando las distintas etapas de su vida con una narrativa cronológica que va desde su infancia en Villa Fiorito hasta sus últimos días, pasando por Barcelona, Nápoles, la selección argentina y su descenso a los infiernos.

El libro destaca por su voluntad de cubrir todos los ángulos del personaje: el talento prodigioso, el compromiso con los humildes, la lucha contra los poderes establecidos, pero también las adicciones, los excesos y la autodestrucción. Sin embargo, en su esfuerzo por contar todo, Balagué sacrifica profundidad. Muchas veces se limita a enumerar hechos conocidos, entrevistas y titulares, sin ofrecer una interpretación nueva ni un hilo narrativo que permita articular las contradicciones del personaje.

La prosa es funcional, sin brillo, y por momentos el texto cae en repeticiones o afirmaciones poco matizadas. Se percibe respeto, incluso admiración, pero no alcanza el espesor emocional o literario de otros trabajos sobre Maradona.

Pese a sus limitaciones, la biografía cumple como introducción para quienes busquen una visión general de la vida del Diez. Ofrece contexto, orden y una lectura accesible, sin caer en el sensacionalismo.

Le otorgo una calificación de 3/5. Es un libro correcto, informativo, pero que no logra penetrar del todo en el misterio y la complejidad del ídolo.

[Oskar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Diego Maradona. Chłopiec, buntownik, bóg" jest według zapowiedzi najbardziej kompletną biografią piłkarskiej legendy jaką był Diego Maradona. Czy rzeczywiście jest to tak dobra książka?
Początek książki to również początek życia Maradony, autor opisuje jego dzieciństwo, dorastanie i pierwsze kroki w profesjonalnej piłce. Następnie płynnie przechodzi przez całe piłkarskie i nie tylko życie Diego. Autor zebrał na prawdę ogrom wątków i anegdot nie tylko z życia piłkarskiego ale i prywatnego - szczególnie kontrowersyjne wątki, których jest tu sporo, zapadają mocno w pamięć. I tutaj dochodzimy do momentu podsumowania życia piłkarza po karierze, które niestety jest opisane trochę pobieżnie (brakuje np. opisania epizodu, w którym był selekcjonerem reprezentacji Argentyny). I jak początek jego kariery jest trochę zbyt rozwleczony, tak zakończenie jest zbyt powierzchownie opisane.
Podsumowując, jest to niezła lektura, ale raczej dla fanów piłki nożnej (a jeszcze lepiej jak ktoś wychowywał się w momencie aktywnej gry Maradony i śledził jego poczynania). Znajdziemy tu wiele "smaczków", również tych poza boiskowych, a uwierzcie, że Diego to była na prawdę nietuzinkowa persona.
7/10.

[Gianluca Fiore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to judge a book about a character I have been in awe since my childhood in Naples. I will try.

I read it in Spanish and the prose shines here and there but it is otherwise more an history, rather than a narration. It suits the football parts more than the private ones. I knew a great deal about Maradona already so felt no issues in following the boo but those who don't nay feel lost at times. It is not a strict chronological sum of events.

The author has more info about the beginnings in Argentina and then in Barcelona than about Naples and later. It all feels skewed in favour of the Argentinian part of the life of Maradona. Which may be on purpose. The ending felt rushed, like somebody who didn't want to talk of the last years of his dad. Understandably.

A good book. Feeling incomplete at times, too focused on minor happenings in other moments. Lacking more football proper's events. But a good book nonetheless.

[Carlos Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5/5

A truly amazing book that covers the many different angles of Maradona's lift. Balagué is quite an objective writer. He praises and critics Maradona depending on the circumstances and the book didn't feel like either a full-on critic on him nor a long-praise. This balance of showing the good and the bad from his life gives the reader a deeper understand of the complicated and contradictory Maradona, which amplifies his image.

That being said, once Maradona retires from football the book summarises the rest of his light in a couple of pages. What about coaching Argentina national team in the World Cup, for example? I felt the last part of Maradona's lift was cut very short. That's the only reason I am not giving this book a 5-star review. Either way, I will read something else from the author.

[Victor Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maradona is mostly likely the footballer most written about - Ballagué even lists how many books and movies were made about him, I can’t say I remember the number though.
That in itself is a snippet of why the book is so good: it’s aware of everything that came before it. Ballagué’s research is very thorough, it goes after people from Maradona’s deep childhood to people whose childhood were affected by him. I was impressed to see he was able to get a hold of very busy people, like Mauricio Pochettino (his phone call with Maradona is one of the best parts of the book).

It’s also very well constructed, fluid, easy to read. Even the digressions to speak about important people in his life, like Claudia, Cyterszpiler and Cóppola, are organically incorporated into the text. I enjoyed the reading very much - even old stories were recounted in a very interesting way.

[Dean Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maradona had a great story, This vulture is just making financial gains through his name. Balague done the same for Messi and Pep Guardiola.

Guillem, Stop regurgitating peoples lives, their stories are all already out there. Do something yourself then write that down ffs

[Matt Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maradona, one of the best players of all time, won a World Cup with Argentina in 1986. however, he was a flawed genius whom controversy seemed to follow throughout his life and career.
This is an excellent biography that had me hooked from the first chapter up until the last, clearly well researched by Guillem Balague

[Marcel Heijink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Gives you a clear inside view about the hectic life of Maradona.

[Tadas Talaikis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible, boring, random. Wanted a real bio.

[Jonathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book and ODA is a patronising 🔔

[Arian Salehi · Rating 4 out of 5]

May rest in power El Diego 🌿

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتابی بسیار جذاب و خواندنی با ترجمه ای عالی

[Angelo Salonitis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written, discombobulated with grade school level syntax. Shame

[flor · Rating 4 out of 5]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭te amo diego