Diego Maradona and His First Anniversary in Immortality

The world proudly remembers the best player in the history of soccer (football), Diego Armando Maradona, as this Thursday marks the first anniversary of his passing into immortality as a result of the cardiorespiratory arrest he suffered at his home in the San Andres neighborhood, located in the Argentine town of Tigre.

Maradona, distinguished for his solidarity with the world's peoples, especially with nations that suffer illegal blockades and bombings, is a reference for both soccer players and popular organizations, the latter finding in Diego a resounding voice that makes injustices visible.

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As he completes a year of immortality, Maradona is also remembered for his talent on the soccer field and his performance as a player of Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's and the Argentine national team, making lovers of the most popular sport in the world always smile when they hear the name of the well-known star.

Understanding what soccer implies sociologically in the world, Maradona and his talent made people shed tears of happiness and even of revenge, in specific cases the combatants of the Argentine Malvinas (Falklands) and the humble people of Naples, the former massacred by the British in an invasion and the latter, historically humiliated by the Italian north.

His best-remembered goals are the two scored against the English, in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where Maradona scored the famous goal with his hand (years later baptized La Mano de Dios) and the Goal of the Century, in which he beat six Englishmen, including the goalkeeper, eliminating the British team. Later on, Argentina managed to win the trophy by beating Germany in the final.

The goals against the English transcended soccer. Four years earlier, the British invaded the Falkland Islands and massacred almost 3,000 young Argentines, who felt represented by Diego and his talent against the English. Maradona, from his position, always declared that the match against England represented a small tribute to those young men who gave their lives for the Argentine territory.

Another historical fact was the titles achieved with Napoli, the humble team of Italy; since Maradona's arrival to the team in 1984, Napoli became a nightmare to the big clubs like Juventus, Milan and Inter Milan.

Maradona scored a physics-defying goal in the match with Platini's Juventus; he put the ball into an impossible position for the Turin goalkeeper from a free-kick with almost no angle.

In addition to scoring against Juventus, Diego also scored against the mighty Milan, in 1987, eluding the goalkeeper and scoring to make the game 2-1, a vital result for the fight of the Italian Calcio. Neapolitan fans also remember that goal, as it represented a victory over the Italian upper class.

Despite FIFA's persecution against Maradona and the cruel way in which he was expelled from the 1994 World Cup, fans remember the goal against Greece after a collective move made by Batistuta, Caniggia and Diego, finishing it off with a shot to the corner.

Maradona scored for the last time on September 14, 1997, when he scored against his friend Sergio Goycochea in the mythical Bombonera and wearing the Boca Juniors jersey.