Early Life and Education of Diego Maradona: A Complete Timeline
An overview of the childhood and early education of Diego Maradona, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.
Diego Maradona was an Argentine professional football player and manager, globally recognized as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He jointly won the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award with Pelé. A masterful playmaker with exceptional dribbling skills, Maradona led Argentina to victory in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. His career was marked by both moments of brilliance and controversy, including the infamous 'Hand of God' goal. Beyond his playing career, he also served as a football manager.
1927: Birth of Diego Maradona "Chitoro"
In 1927, Diego Maradona "Chitoro" (Maradona's father) was born.
1930: Birth of Dalma Salvadora Franco "Doña Tota"
In 1930, Dalma Salvadora Franco "Doña Tota" (Maradona's mother) was born.
October 1960: Birth of Diego Armando Maradona
On October 30, 1960, Diego Armando Maradona was born in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.
March 1969: Recommended to Los Cebollitas
In March 1969, Maradona was recommended to Los Cebollitas (The Little Onions), the junior team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors.
1973: Evita Tournament Win
In 1973, Maradona led Cebollitas to an Evita Tournament win.
1974: Evita Tournament Win
In 1974, Maradona led Cebollitas to an Evita Tournament win and 141 undefeated games in a row.
March 1981: Meeting with Queen
In March 1981, the band Queen were introduced to Diego Maradona backstage during their concert at the Vélez Sarsfield Stadium.
1982: Endorsements and Sports Star Status
By 1982, Diego Maradona had risen to become one of the world's biggest sports stars. He secured endorsements with numerous companies, including Puma and Coca-Cola, earning an additional $1.5 million per year in addition to his club salary.
1984: Playing for Napoli and Sponsorships
In 1984, Diego Maradona earned $7 million a year playing at Napoli, with sponsorships including $5 million from Hitachi. That year, he was also named the best known person in the world by IMG.
1986: 'Hand of God' Goal
In 1986, Maradona scored the infamous "Hand of God" goal against England at the World Cup.
1986: The Americas vs the World
Shortly after the 1986 triumph, Maradona scored for The Americas against the World in a UNICEF fundraiser.
1987: Clash with Pope John Paul II
In 1987, during a meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, Maradona clashed with him over wealth disparity, criticizing the Church's wealth in contrast to its concern for poor children.
November 1989: Marriage to Claudia Villafañe
In November 1989, on 7 November, Maradona married his long-time fiancée Claudia Villafañe in Buenos Aires.
1990: Personal Problems and Backlash in Italy
In 1990, Maradona faced increasing personal problems in Italy, including continued cocaine use, fines, a scandal regarding an illegitimate son, suspicion over alleged ties with the Camorra crime syndicate, and backlash from fans after Argentina beat Italy in the World Cup semi-final.
1990: Visit to Lenin's Mausoleum
In 1990, Maradona visited Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square, Moscow.
April 1996: Exhibition boxing match for charity
In April 1996, Maradona participated in a three-round exhibition boxing match with Santos Laciar for charity.
2000: Publication of autobiography
In 2000, Maradona published his autobiography "Yo Soy El Diego" ("I am The Diego"), which became a bestseller in Argentina.
May 2003: First meeting with Diego Sinagra
In May 2003, Diego Junior met Maradona for the first time after tricking his way onto a golf course in Italy.
2004: Divorce from Claudia Villafañe
In 2004, Maradona and Claudia Villafañe divorced.
2004: Protest Against the Iraq War
In 2004, Maradona participated in a protest against the U.S.-led war in Iraq, expressing his opposition to imperialism.
2004: End of Cocaine addiction
Maradona was addicted to cocaine from the mid-1980s until 2004.
March 2005: Gastric Bypass Surgery
In March 2005, Maradona underwent gastric bypass surgery in Cartagena, Colombia to combat obesity after struggling with weight gain since the end of his playing career. The surgery involved a liquid diet for three months to help him return to a normal weight, after which he displayed a much thinner physique.
August 2005: Debut as host of 'La Noche del 10'
On 15 August 2005, Maradona debuted as the host of 'La Noche del 10' on Argentine television, with Pelé as his first guest.
November 2005: Ronaldinho Applauded at Santiago Bernabéu
In November 2005, Ronaldinho was applauded by Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu.
2005: Protest at Summit of the Americas
During the 2005 Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Maradona protested George W. Bush's presence, wearing a T-shirt labelled "STOP BUSH" (with the "s" in "Bush" being replaced with a swastika) and calling Bush "human garbage."
2005: Meeting with Hugo Chávez
In 2005, Maradona traveled to Venezuela to meet President Hugo Chávez, expressing his support and admiration for the leader, referring to Chávez as "a gigantic man" and proclaiming himself a "Chavista."
May 2006: Participation in UK's Soccer Aid
In May 2006, Maradona agreed to participate in UK's Soccer Aid, a program to raise money for UNICEF.
March 2007: Hospital Readmission for Hepatitis and Alcohol Abuse
On March 29, 2007, Maradona was readmitted to a hospital in Buenos Aires to receive treatment for hepatitis and the effects of alcohol abuse.
August 2007: Anti-U.S. Sentiment on Aló Presidente
In August 2007, Maradona appeared on Chávez's television show Aló Presidente and stated, "I hate everything that comes from the United States. I hate it with all my strength."
December 2007: Presentation of Signed Shirt to Iran
In December 2007, Maradona presented a signed shirt with a message of support to the people of Iran, which is displayed in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' museum.
2007: Guest of Honour at Copa América
In 2007, Maradona was Chávez's guest of honour at the opening game of the Copa América, held in Venezuela.
December 2008: Admiration for Barack Obama
By December 2008, Maradona adopted a more positive U.S. attitude and expressed admiration for then-President-elect Barack Obama.
2008: "Maradona" documentary released
In 2008, Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica made "Maradona", a documentary about Maradona's life.
2010: Louis Vuitton Commercial and Waka Waka Video
In 2010, Diego Maradona appeared in a commercial for Louis Vuitton, playing table football with Pelé and Zinedine Zidane. Footage of him was also shown in the music video for the 2010 World Cup song "Waka Waka" by Shakira.
November 2011: Death of Maradona's mother
On 19 November 2011, Maradona's mother, Dalma, died. Maradona was in Dubai at the time.
April 2013: Visit to Hugo Chávez's Tomb
In April 2013, Maradona visited the tomb of Hugo Chávez and encouraged Venezuelans to elect Nicolás Maduro to continue Chávez's legacy.
September 2014: Meeting with Pope Francis
In September 2014, Maradona met with Pope Francis in Rome, stating that Francis inspired him to return to religion and emphasizing the importance of helping others.
September 2014: Participation in "Match for Peace"
On 1 September 2014, Maradona participated in the "Match for Peace" at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, donating the proceeds to charity.
2014: Condemnation of Israel's Actions in Gaza
In 2014, during the Israel–Gaza conflict, Maradona condemned Israel's military strikes in the Gaza Strip, calling the actions against Palestinians "shameful".
June 2015: Death of Maradona's father
On 25 June 2015, Maradona's father, "Don" Diego, died at age 87.
October 2015: Acceptance of Role in Football for Unity
In October 2015, Maradona thanked Queen Elizabeth II and the Houses of Parliament in London for the opportunity to provide "true justice" as the Latin American director for the non-governmental organization Football for Unity.
November 2015: Andrés Iniesta Applauded at Santiago Bernabéu
In November 2015, Andrés Iniesta was applauded by Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu.
2017: Criticism of Donald Trump
In 2017, Maradona criticized President Donald Trump, calling him "a cartoon character".
2017: Praise for Vladimir Putin
In a 2017 interview, Maradona praised Russian president Vladimir Putin and considered him, along with Chavez and Castro, to be among the best political leaders in the world.
December 2018: Split up with Rocio Oliva
In December 2018, Maradona and Rocío Oliva split up.
2018: Participation in Venezuelan Election Rally
In 2018, Maradona participated and danced at the electoral campaign rally during the presidential elections in Venezuela.
January 2019: Surgery for Internal Bleeding
In January 2019, Maradona underwent surgery due to a hernia that caused internal bleeding in his stomach.
2019: Fine for Supporting Nicolás Maduro
In 2019, during the Venezuelan presidential crisis, the Mexican Football Federation fined Maradona for violating their code of ethics by dedicating a team victory to Nicolás Maduro.
2019: Diego Maradona documentary
In the 2019 documentary film Diego Maradona, Maradona confessed that his weekly regime consisted of "playing a game on Sunday, going out until Wednesday, then hitting the gym on Thursday."
November 2020: Hospitalization and Brain Surgery
In November 2020, Maradona was admitted to a hospital in La Plata, initially supposedly for psychological reasons, and underwent emergency brain surgery to treat a subdural hematoma. He was later released and supervised as an outpatient. On November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, Maradona suffered cardiac arrest and died at his home.
2020: Asif Kapadia's comment
In 2020, the film's director, Asif Kapadia, commented on Maradona's inconsistent training regimen.
May 2021: Medical Professionals Charged with Homicide
In May 2021, seven medical professionals were charged with homicide over Maradona's death and could face between eight and 25 years in prison if convicted.
June 2022: Medical Personnel to Face Trial
In June 2022, a judge ruled that eight medical personnel should face trial for criminal negligence and homicide in regards to Maradona's death.
June 2022: Medical Personnel to Face Trial for Homicide
In June 2022, a judge ruled that eight medical personnel should face trial for criminal negligence and homicide in regards to Maradona's death.
April 2023: Appeal Court Upholds Ruling for Trial
On April 18, 2023, the Court of Appeals and Guarantees of San Isidro upheld the June 2022 ruling where eight medical personnel, including physician Luque and psychiatrist Cosachov, should face trial on the charge of "simple homicide with malice aforethought".
January 2024: Posthumous Clearance of Tax Accusations
In January 2024, Maradona was posthumously cleared of the accusations of tax debt by the Supreme Court of Cassation.
September 2024: Trial Date Set for Medical Personnel
In September 2024, a criminal court in San Isidro set the trial date for Luque, Cosachov, and other medical personnel to start on 11 March 2025, in connection with Maradona's death.
March 2025: Trial Date Set for Medical Personnel
The trial date for medical personnel charged in connection with Maradona's death is set to begin on 11 March 2025, in a criminal court in San Isidro.
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