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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Diego Maradona briefly

During Maradona's first spell in Argentina, the Championship was played in two stages, the league stage (Metropolitano Championship) and knockout stage (Nacional Championship). Maradona was banned in 1991 after testing positive for Cocaine while playing for Napoli. When he returned to play in Argentina the Championship was played over two league stages. He was banned a second time after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs during the 1994 World Cup.

Maradona at his best

Born in 1960 in Villa Fiorito, Argentina, Diego Armando Maradona went on to almost single-handedly lead his country to one World Cup Final victory in 1986 and then back to the Final four years later where they were beaten by West Germany. As well as leading unfashionable Napoli to two Italian League titles and breaking the world record transfer fee when he joined Barcelona in 1982, Maradona went on to become regarded as perhaps the greatest footballer who ever played the game.

Maradona 'the hand of god'

Speaking on his TV show, Maradona said the intervention, which he nicknamed "The Hand of God", was justified. "The truth is that I don't for a second regret scoring that goal with my hand," he said on the programme. The footballer apparently defended his goal as his response to Britain's claim to the Falkland islands. He said he wanted to let Argentines and the whole world know the truth about a key moment in football history. Maradona scored the goal by punching the ball into the net during a jump as goalkeeper Peter Shilton leapt into the air towards the ball.

More Interesting things about Maradona

In his 20-year career before retiring in 1997, Maradona starred at Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors and in Europe. He also led Argentina to the 1990 World Cup final and won Italian and Argentine league titles. In 2000, FIFA chose him and Pele as the best players in soccer history.Maradona's career, however, was filled with negatives as well as positives. In 1991, he failed a drug test and was banned for 15 months.

CONCLUSION

Maradona was undoubtedly a genius in football that can not be disputed he single handedly won the world cup in 1982. Through out Maradonas career aside from the controversy he always brought more than a touch of class to the soccer field.