Diego Maradona (2019)

Diego Maradona: Directed by Asif Kapadia. With Pelé, Diego Maradona, Dalma Maradona, Claudia Villafañe. Constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, this documentary centers on the career of celebrated football player Diego Maradona, who played for S.S.C. Napoli in the 1980s.

“I first heard of Diego Maradona after Argentina won the 1978 World Cup.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere was a lot of talk of some 17 year old youth in Argentina who was destined to become the best player in the world.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAsif Kapadiau0026#39;s documentary charts the rise and fall of Maradona from the slums of Argentina to his uncertain couple of years in Barcelona. Injuries meant he failed to set the footballing world alight.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever his move to Napoli to the south of Italy, to a team that did not rank among the Italian giants of football. Maradona became a talisman. His passion and skills took them to two league titles and a UEFA cup win. It is here the documentary portrays a man who could lift not only his team but an entire national side.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor the Argentinian national side. Maradona was both hero and villain as they won the 1986 World Cup. His u0026#39;Hand of Godu0026#39; goal against England marked him out as a cheat. Although you have to wonder what was the referee and the two linesmen were looking at. His second goal was pure artistry, even England midfielder Peter Reid could do nothing but gently jog behind him and watch!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAfter that Maradona was part of the sporting elite. He mixed with the wealthy as well as the infamous crime gangs of Napoli. Those criminals provided him with cocaine and protection.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt might had been an open secret in Napoli of Maradonau0026#39;s partying lifestyle but he passed every drug test.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAfter the 1990 World Cup held in Italy, when Argentina knocked Italy out. The Italians were less forgiving. Even the locals in Napoli turned on him. He failed a drugs test and Maradona knew his life was over in Italian football.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eKapadiau0026#39;s documentary has plenty of archive footage with interviews from Maradona, his ex wife, his personal trainer. His ex wife seems to have little of substance to say about his extramarital affairs and his illegitimate son.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere was a greater focus on his Napoli years. The turbulent time in Barcelona was skimped over. Also nothing of Maradona in the 1994 World Cup where he failed another drug test.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe documentary ends with a bloated Maradona in 2005 giving a television interview, brought down by years of drugs and alcohol abuse. Kapadia wanted to show a man always fighting the system with whatever means. Fair or foul.”