The warning example of Maradona

It wasn't such a good day. Somehow, which happens sometimes. It wasn't the weather's fault. But the details are not important. In any case, some TV program should help you sleep that evening. While zapping, the often rather fruitless search for good content, I got stuck on 3Sat. Not for the first time. And saw Diego Maradona. As sports journalists, we don't have much of a choice. Get rid of the remote control. What happened next is rare.

I remained completely fascinated by the image and especially by the sound. It was like a rush and I was confronted more and more with Maradona's life. A fateful life, mind you, with all possible ups and downs. An incomparable career was impressively traced here with the beginning of his move from Barcelona to Naples. At that time I was the sports editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and of course followed the Maradona hype quite closely. And yet, of course, I was unable to understand the full scope of this commitment by the southern Italians. I probably would have had to be Italian to do that. The film that evening definitely changed my attitude towards the events of those days. Diego Maradona is still revered like a saint in Naples. © APA/afp / CARLO HERMANN

I first saw a rather immature-looking young man being led into a seething stadium. A kind of saint veneration began and I learned that the signing of the Argentine was seen by all Neapolitans as a declaration of war against the clubs in the north of Italy. I was shocked for the first time when I saw pictures of fans in Milan or Turin and their banners. This was pure racism that was apparently never punished. Naples players were called lepers. It was deeply disturbing. And then there was this hunt for Maradona, who could work wonders with the ball. He wasn't just fouled. No, there was a real attempt to destroy it. And no one intervened. The prancing Maradona was attacked with brute force and the defenders of the northern Italian clubs from Verona to Milan and Turin looked happy. She didn't care. Their fans cheered. It was in such a compilation of brutal kicks against Maradona that I understood for the first time: That was hate, pure hatred. Football has been degraded into a vehicle for the cheapest emotions. Just back then? No. Not much has changed these days. Racism in all forms can still be felt, especially in football stadiums. Pandemic-related ghost games are therefore almost a blessing. This is how the Napoli fans got to know and love the Argentine. © ANSA / TWITTER

Maradona then also became world champion. Of course, his goal, which he scored with his hand, was shown again in the semi-final in Mexico against England. But also his probably unique solo across the entire pitch, in which he shook off the English like annoying flies. This was football ballet, a unique, irresistible show that can never be repeated. In the meantime, as this impressive documentary shows, Maradona's closeness to the “Camorra” mafia organization became apparent. And drugs came into play. Three days of partying with cocaine, two days of training. Everyone around Maradona knew it, no one helped Diego. He was removed from the world. The fact that in 1990, in Naples of all places, he helped prevent Italy from reaching the final in Rome at the World Cup was unforgivable for former Maradona supporters. But what should he, the Argentinian captain, have done? Hit the ball over the goal to keep the love of his fans? Scheduling the game in Naples was an unforgivable mistake by the organization at the time. I realized that. Physical decline and drug use And then Maradona's face became fuller and fuller. Close-up photos showed the physical deterioration of this great football player, who, I felt, didn't seem to be growing up as he got older. Football was his big playground. When this was taken away from him because of his drug use, when the fans withdrew their affection from him, he fell from heaven to hell. Yes, it was sad and I watched those sequences in this film with emotion. A fallen angel who was a pawn of football presidents and managers. An object at some point whose value declined inexorably. Maybe it was all too much for Diego. The pictures also showed how he, who came from a very poor background, was already the sole provider for his large family at the age of 15. His income secured a nice house and ensured a better life for his parents and sisters. In some scenes he seemed like a constant teenager who has no greater joy than celebrating victories with his teammates. Previously unpublished recordings were shown. Images of tremendous intensity. Images that can sneak into the viewer's heart because they make it clear that one thing is always the same in the lowest and highest football leagues: the joy of shared success. Only at the top is the champagne of better quality. Diego Maradona during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. © APA/afp / JUAN MABROMATA

Diego Maradona: The film is a tribute to the greatest football player this planet has ever produced. But it is also a journey through time and at the same time a warning to everyone who is in danger of losing their grip on soaring heights. The million-dollar game of football leads to a loss of reality. Maradona's life has shown this. In the end he was seen as a coach. He had not only become full, but fat and misshapen. He could barely walk, but he casually flicked the ball into the goal again. In at the top, between the crossbar and the post. He was and remained a magician. Unforgettable.

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The warning example of Maradona

Thoughts always run ahead of a point. This cannot be stopped, because ideas don't just come to you, they have to be developed. But sometimes, our columnist Sigi Heinrich notes, a spontaneous inspiration takes over what's happening on the laptop. Like the documentary about Diego Maradona.

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