The 2022 FIFA World Cup Final was seen by many to be the eternalizing moment for Leo Messi, as he finally won the biggest prize in World Football that arguably solidified him as the GOAT. Despite this achievement, there are many who still view a fellow compatriot of his as the greatest in football.
That player is none other than Diego Maradona. The Argentine is still widely seen as an all-time great, and his "Hand of God" Moment will forever remain as one of the most iconic moments in football history. This article will be looking back at one of the golden phases of his club career, as we rewind his years at Napoli.
A huge statement signing
The signing of Diego Maradona by Napoli took the footballing world by storm at the time, with the Argentine being presented on 5th July, 1984 at Napoli's Stadio San Paolo that had 75,000 spectators to welcome the Argentine Attacking midfielder.
At a time when the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan, Roma, and AC Milan were dominating Italian football, Napoli fans were convinced that Maradona would be the savior that takes them back to the top.
Maradona had a huge task ahead of him, as Napoli were a shadow of the great side they used to be. The Italian side were facing relegation at the end of the 1983–84 Serie A season, and the Argentine was tasked to bring them back to glory in what was the toughest league in Europe at the time.
Bringing Napoli back to the top
It was at Napoli where Maradona reached the peak of his career, and his immense influence in the side also led him to being their club captain at the time. Maradona instantly became a fan favorite, and took Napoli to arguably their greatest ever phase in history.
The Argentine eventually led Napoli to Serie A glory in the 1986-87 season, and Maradona was seen as the city's new hero that was adored by all its citizens. Despite his individual heroics, Napoli only managed to finish as runners-up in the next 2 seasons (1987-88, 1988-89). Domestic glory came towards them yet again though, as Maradona led them to yet another Italian league title in the 1989–90 campaign.
Napoli's domestic dominance under Maradona extended to other competitions as well, with the Italian side winning the Coppa Italia in 1987 and Italian Supercup in 1990.
European glory was achieved as well, with Napoli winning the 1989 UEFA Cup. Maradona was especially crucial in the final tie against Stuttgart, as he made immensely important contributions in both legs of the final.
The fact that Maradona operated as an attacking midfielder and yet managed to finish as Serie A top scorer in the 1987–88 season (15 goals) was a testament of his exquisite talent. He was Napoli's all-time highest goalscorer as well with 115 goals, which was eventually broken by Marek Hamšík in 2017.
Legacy
Despite all his individual heroics and silverware glory that Maradona brought to Napoli, his time at the club was also overshadowed by his personal problems at the time. From his use of Cocaine to a scandal regarding an illegitimate son of the player, Maradona's time outside the field was quite wild as well. The Argentine also received immense backlash when his country beat Italy in the 1990 World Cup semi-finals. Even with all those controversies, he is widely seen as a legendary figure of the club and arguably their greatest ever player. His number 10 jersey was officially retired by the club in 2000, and they also paid him the ultimate tribute after his death by renaming their stadium as Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
