Whereas Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s kids are at present experiencing the good expectations of rising up with the surnames of their well-known fathers, the son of legendary determine Diego Maradona reveals what it is actually like.
Diego Maradona Junior endured a barely totally different upbringing, nonetheless, contemplating that he didn’t meet his father till 2003. Maradona lastly recognised him as his son in 2007, after 21 years of denials.
“For the individual I’m at the moment, I owe all of it to my mom – I grew up together with her and my grandparents, however my father’s affect was additionally necessary at some factors of my life,” Diego Jnr tells FourFourTwo .
Diego Maradona Junior displays on rising up along with his well-known title
Maradona Jnr in Rome (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“I used to be born Diego Armando Sinagra, however a couple of years later I used to be given the precise to bear my father’s surname,” he says. “I used to be six or seven. Bearing the Maradona title is peculiar, and I’ve usually left Vodafone operators speechless once they name me.
“‘What do you imply?’ they are saying. ‘Are you actually Mr Maradona, or are you pulling my leg?’ My childhood was good. We weren’t wealthy, however my mom and grandparents gave me every little thing I ever wanted. I grew up in a standard, working-class household. My grandfather was a hairdresser and my grandmother a beautician in his store.
Maradona Jnr was awarded Argentine nationality in 2021 (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“After I was born, my mom was 21, my aunt Francesca was 19, uncle Sasi was 17 and uncle Fabio was 15. They had been like siblings to me, it was lovely. My grandfather was like a father. Actually, he was greater than that.”
Maradona’s son reminisces on watching his estranged father play on the 1994 World Cup . Diego Jnr was simply seven.
“The primary clear reminiscence I’ve of my father dates again to USA 94,” he says. “I understood who he was, how necessary he was in soccer, and typically. I keep in mind very effectively how he screamed into the digital camera after scoring towards Greece.
“Although I’ve no private recollection of it, I additionally know effectively concerning the two ladies who escorted him off the pitch to doping management. USA 94 noticed the best injustice within the historical past of soccer – each the 1990 and 1994 World Cups had been principally stolen from him. I don’t have fond recollections of that in any respect.
Maradona Senior lifts the World Cup trophy aloft in 1986 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Regardless of by no means having met his father, Diego Jnr needed to stay with the big expectations generated by his well-known surname. After a number of years in Napoli’s youth ranks, he progressed so far as an look for Italy Below-17s in 2001, however the Little Donkeys went bankrupt in 2004.
That summer season, he headed to Scotland for a trial with Dunfermline, however a deal couldn’t be agreed along with his advisors.
“We made a suggestion that we thought was truthful for a laddie who hasn’t performed for the primary workforce but,” Dunfermline’s director of soccer Jim Leishman mentioned on the time. “However they thought it derisory, so we’re not going to pursue it.”
As a substitute he joined Genoa in Serie B, however didn’t function for his or her first workforce as they had been relegated to the third tier following a match-fixing scandal. Quickly after, he was taking part in semi-professional soccer at regional stage, with Cervia, Internapoli, Quarto and Venafro.
“Individuals have usually in contrast me to my father, however that’s superficial,” Diego Jnr displays. “He was distinctive, nothing compares to him. Why ought to I examine myself? Simply because I used to be his son? Ludwig van Beethoven’s son didn’t play like his dad, did he? They had been two totally different folks.”
