Diego Maradona is a reputation that carries nice gravitas wherever it goes on the planet, nevertheless it’s much more tough whenever you’re the son of the Argentine celebrity.
Named after his well-known father, who ranked at no.3 in FourFourTwo ‘s record of the best gamers of all time
Nonetheless, he was unable to achieve the heights of Serie A throughout his profession, with Serie D the best degree he achieved in 11-aside soccer. For Maradona Jr., his identify actually posed an issue as folks held better expectations.
Diego Maradona Jr. struggled to reside as much as expectations – however nonetheless acheived nice success
Maradona Jr. in Naples (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“My surname was a handicap, little doubt,” he tells FourFourTwo . “Typically I used to be informed, ‘For those who needed to keep away from all this consideration, all you needed to do was not play soccer’. However I needed to as a result of I cherished it!”
Maradona Jr. discovered nice success taking part in seaside soccer, although. He scored within the 2008 World Cup Last for Italy in opposition to Brazil , then fittingly helped Napoli to their first ever Serie A title on the sand, simply as his outdated man did on grass.
Maradona Jr. taking part in for Italy within the seaside soccer World Cup (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“I had my share of success too, in my very own small manner,” Maradona Jr. says. “I made greater than 100 appearances for Italy’s seaside soccer nationwide staff, I performed at two World Cup s and two European Championships. “It didn’t occur due to my identify, or due to my father.
“I’m one of many 10 most prolific Italian seaside soccer gamers ever, and I additionally performed soccer for Italy at youth degree. It’s true, I wasn’t like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo , nor did I get to play in Serie A, however that was partly due to my identify.”
Since his dad’s passing, he’s moved into teaching with decrease league golf equipment Napoli United, Pompei and Montecalcio, spending a lot of this season at fifth-tier Ibarra in Tenerife.
“I like my life as a coach,” he enthuses. “Once I performed, I believed a supervisor needed to be strict. I’m not like that now. It’s tough for me to outline myself as a coach, but when I needed to, I’d say that I’m trustworthy with my boys.
Maradona Jr. in 2021 (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“I hope teaching is my future, however you have to be capable of reinvent your self in life. If I’ve to alter path, I’ll. I don’t know the way, however I’ll. Soccer has at all times been my life and I hope it continues to be so. My objective is to develop additional.”
Approaching 40, it is a man at peace with himself. “Being Diego Maradona’s son is a supply of pleasure – he made many individuals blissful,” says Diego Jnr. “He was and nonetheless is an inspiration. He was a dwelling legend, and within the years I used to be round him, he taught me so much.”
