10 February 1946 - A Familiar Pattern Emerges In Buenos Aires

On 10 February 1946, Argentina won their eighth South American Championship, beating Brazil as usual.

Four of Argentina's previous titles had come at the expense of Brazil, with the teams finishing as champions and runners-up, respectively. In three of them, Argentina won by finishing higher in the final table, though they did beat Brazil along the way. In the 1937 edition, the teams finished level in the table, forcing a playoff that Argentina won 2-0 in extra time.

The 1946 tournament was a shortened version after three teams withdrew, leaving Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, who entered as defending champions after winning it in 1945 (with Brazil again finishing second). They did not play Brazil until the final scheduled match on 10 February. Argentina started the day ahead of Brazil in the table by a single point, meaning they needed only a draw to win the competition. 

But playing before a home crowd at the Estadio Monumental in Beonos Aires, it was clear early on that they were not planning to settle for a draw. In the thirtieth minute, a clash between Argentina's De la Mata and Brazil's Chico led to the ejection of both players and an ensuing seventy-minute delay as the officials sought to restore order.

Shortly after the restart, Argentina forward Norberto Méndez (pictured) scored a thirty-eighth minute goal to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. He then scored again in the 55th minute to seal the 2-0 victory.

Argentina went on to win the tournament over Brazil three more times (1957, 1959, 1991) before Brazil eventually beat them in 2004, then again in 2007.

15 November 2009 - In His Defense, He Never Actually Said What "It" Was

On 15 November 2009, FIFA issued a two-month ban to Diego Maradona and fined him £15,000 as the result of a press conference he gave the previous month.

After taking over as manager of the Argentinian national team in 2008, the former star midfielder guided them through a difficult qualification campaign for the 2010 World Cup that included a 6-1 defeat to Bolivia as well as losses to Ecuador, Brazil, and Paraguay. With two matches remaining, Argentina were in fifth place and in danger of missing the World Cup.

But they won those last two matches, over Peru and Uruguay, to claim the last guaranteed CONCACAF spot. After the second one, Maradona held a live televised press conference in which he railed against the Argentinian press for the criticism they had delivered during the campaign. The most memorable part of his rant was when he said the journalists "can suck it and keep on sucking it," which prompted FIFA's action.

The ban expired on 15 January 2010. Maradona led Argentina to the World Cup quarterfinals, then fell out with the Argentina Football Federation, who decided later that summer not to renew his contract.

15 July 2007 - Thanks, Argentina, But They Didn't Need The Help

On 15 July 2007, Brazil won their fourth Copa América with a dominating 3-0 victory over Argentina.

The Brazilians stumbled out of the gate at the start of the tournament, losing 2-0 to Mexico, but rallied with wins over Chile (3-0) and Ecuador (1-0) to finish second in their group and advance to the knockout rounds, where they beat Chile again (6-1), then Uruguay (2-2 (5-4)) to reach the Final.

Argentina, meanwhile, won their group with wins over the United States (4-1), Colombia (4-2), and Paraguay (1-0), then beat Peru (4-0) and Mexico (3-0) to set their date with Brazil.

Playing before a crowd of 40,000 in Maracaibo, Brazil took a quick lead with a stunning goal from Júlio Baptista in the fourth minute. Elano sent a long ball forward from just inside the midfield stripe, which Baptista corralled in the Argentina box. He beat a defender, then fired the ball into the top far corner.

Their second goal came in the 40th minute when Argentina's Roberto Ayala tried to reach a Brazilian cross and turned the ball into his own net. The capper came in the 69th minute, when defender Dani Alves, who had come on as a first-half substitute for the injured Elano, surged up the right flank and fired a powerful blast past Argentina keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri into the far side of the goal.

24 June 1987 - The Mighty Messi

On 24 June 1987, Lionel Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina. He has since become one of the world's best players, winning a record five Ballons d'Or.

After initially playing for a local club managed by his father, Messi joined the youth program at Newell's Old Boys in 1995. There, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. The costs of treatment, reported to be approximately $900 per month, proved a barrier for a rumored move to River Plate, but Barcelona were interested and agreed to cover the expenses as part of a deal that brought Messi to Spain in 2003.

He joined the Barcelona youth team, but made his senior team debut in 2004 at the age of 17 and tallied a total of nine appearances that season, followed by 25 in 2005-06. The next season, he secured a regular place in the first team, but his breakout season came in 2008-09, when he made a total of 51 appearances and scored 38 goals as Barcelona won their first La Liga title in three years and also lifted the Champions League trophy. That led to his first Ballon d'Or (and FIFA World Player of the Year award) in 2009.

Playing with a perfect blend of balance and ball control, his scoring continued to improve, with 47 goals in 2009-10, 53 in 2010-11, and an amazing 73 in 2011-12. He currently has 507 goals in 583 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona while winning a total of eight La Liga titles, five Copas del Rey, four Champions League titles, and three FIFA Club World Cups. He also won additional Ballons d'Or in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

Along the way, he has also earned 141 caps for Argentina with 74 goals.

1 April 2009 - Bolivia Rises To The Occasion

On 1 April 2009, Argentina matched their record loss with a crushing 6-1 defeat to Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier.

It came in the twelfth round of CONMEBOL qualification. Argentina had a record of five wins, four draws, and only one loss, falling 1-0 to Chile the previous October. Bolivia, meanwhile, racked up an unimpressive collection of two wins, three draws, and six losses, including a 3-0 loss to Argentina in the teams' previous meeting.

But the rematch was played in La Paz, whose altitude had proven a hindrance to many teams in the past. Needing the win to preserve any hope of reaching South Africa, Bolivia attacked from the start and were rewarded with an 12th-minute goal from Marcelo Moreno.

Argentina drew level with a long-range blast from Lucho González in the 24th minute, but the match was all Bolivia's after that. A foul by Javier Zanetti ten minutes later led to a Bolivia penalty, converted by Joaquín Botero, who scored twice more (55', 66') to net a hat-trick on the day. As Argentina stars Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi struggled, Bolivia got additional goals from Álex da Rosa (45') and Didí Torrico (87').

The final score matched their 6-1 loss to Czechoslovakia in 1958, a margin equaled by 5-0 losses to Uruguay in 1959 and Colombia in 1993.

Unfortunately for Bolivia, they followed their performance with only one more win and five losses, which prevented them from qualifying. Argentina reached the World Cup and made it to the quarterfinals before falling to Germany.

27 February 1977 - Maradona Goes International

On 27 February 1977, Argentina beat Hungary 5-1 in a friendly that marked the international debut of 16-year old Diego Maradona.

At the time, Hungary had been the more successful team, with two World Cup finals (1938 and 1954), three Olympic gold medals (1952, 1964, 1968) and one silver medal (1972). But they were in decline, failing to qualify for the 1974 World Cup, the 1976 Olympics, or the 1976 European Championship. Argentina, meanwhile, had reached the Olympic final in 1928 and the World Cup final in 1930, but had since done little on the global stage (they did have 12 Copa América trophies, however).

For the friendly, they met at the Bombanera in Buenos Aires, where approximately 60,000 people turned out to watch. By half time, the hosts were up 4-0 with a hat-trick from Daniel Bertoni (11', 18') and a goal from Leopoldo Luque (37'). Luque added another just after the break (47') to extend the lead to 5-0 before Hungary substitute Zombori Sándor pulled one back in the 61st minute.

One minute later, Argentina made a couple of substitutions of their own, taking Ricardo Villa off for Jorge Benítez and replacing Luque with young Argentinos Juniors midfielder Diego Maradona. It was Maradona's first appearance for Argentina and he would go on to become the country's greatest player, earning a total of 91 caps and leading them them to World Cup glory in 1986.

16 December 2006 - An Expensive Sheet Of Stationery

On 16 December 2006, a note belonging to German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sold at auction for €1 million. It was the cheat sheet that helped him guide Germany past Argentina in a quarterfinal shootout at the 2006 World Cup.

Although Lehmann made his national team debut in 1998, he spent the first several years stuck behind Oliver Kahn and did not play in the 1998 or 2002 World Cups. But he finally supplanted Kahn as Germany's number one for the 2006 tournament and had an impressive run, giving up two goals in their opening match, then keeping three straight clean sheets to set up the quarterfinal meeting with Argentina.

The Argentines took a 49th-minute lead with a goal from Roberto Ayala, but Miroslav Klose's 80th-minute equalizer sent the match into extra time, which finished 1-1 to set up a penalty shootout. In preparation, Germany's goalkeeper coach, Andreas Koepke, gave a note to Lehmann with a listing of some of Argentina's likely shooters and their tendencies. Lehmann kept it in his sock and checked it before every kick.

Argentina's Julio Cruz converted their first kick, but Lehmann stopped their second attempt, diving to his left to catch Ayala's shot (for Ayala, the note said "long wait, long run right"). He nearly stopped their third attempt, then--with Germany up 4-2--he again dove to his left to deny the shot from Esteban Cambiasso (whose name wasn't even on the list) and secure the victory.

Lehmann kept the note, then donated it to a charity auction where it was purchased by a German utility company, Energie Baden-Wuerttenberg.

8 October 2010 - Japan Rises Over Argentina

On 8 October 2010, Japan got their first win over Argentina, beating them 1-0 in a friendly. It was the seventh meeting between the two teams.

It was Japan's first match under their new manager, Alberto Zaccheroni, who had just come off a 6-month term with Juventus. His pre-Japan career also included spells with a number of other Italian clubs, including Udinese (1995-98), Milan (1998-2001), Lazio (2001-02), Inter (2003-04), and Torino (2006-07). Argentina, meanwhile, were playing their third match under interim manager Sergio Batista, who had replaced Diego Maradona after the 2010 World Cup. Argentina had won his two previous matches, over Ireland (1-0) and defending World Cup champions Spain (4-1).

The Albiceleste fielded a full-strength side for the match against Japan, played before a crowd of 60,000 at Saitama Stadium. But despite the presence of prolific scorers Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, and Diego Milito, it was Japan who struck first, going up 1-0 in the 19th minute with a goal from Shimizu S-Pulse winger Shinji Okazaki (pictured, left), who pounced on the ball after goalkeeper Sergio Romero failed to hold on to it.

Messi twice came close, but his 14th-minute and 30th-minute shots were stopped by goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima. He had another chance in the 75th minute, but fired the ball straight at Kawashima for an easy save.

Not content to sit on the lead, Japan attacked the Argentine goal and had several opportunities to extend the margin. But Okazaki's goal remained the only one of the day as Japan claimed the 1-0 victory.

3 August 1952 - Singer, Actor, Spurs Superstar

On 3 August 1952, World Cup winner and Tottenham Hotspur Hall-of-Famer Osvaldo "Ossie" Ardiles was born in Bell Ville, Argentina.

The midfielder made his professional debut in 1973 for Argentinian club Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba and he earned his first international cap for Argentina's senior side that same year. Five years and two clubs later (Belgrano, 1974, and Huracán, 1975-78) he was a regular for the national team, starting in every match but one of Argentina's World Cup-winning campaign.

After the 1978 World Cup, he moved to Tottenham where he quickly became a fan favorite along with his fellow Argentinian teammate Ricardo Villa. The central midfield pair brought success to Spurs, helping them win back-to-back FA Cups in 1981 and 1982 (during that time, Ardiles also co-starred with Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pelé in the 1981 film Victory and recorded the single "Ossie's Dream" with Chas & Dave in 1981). Villa left in 1983, but Ardiles remained and went on to win the 1984 UEFA Cup with Tottenham. He left Spurs in 1988, but returned to manage the club briefly from 1993 to 1994.

In 2008, he and Villa were jointly inducted into Tottenham's Hall of Fame.

26 April 1991 - The Hand Of God Gets Caught In The Cookie Jar

On 26 April 1991, police in Buenos Aires arrested Diego Maradona for possession of cocaine. It was one more twist in the spiraling descent of the Argentina star, who had just started serving a 15-month ban from Italian football.

Although he was already suffering from a cocaine addiction when he joined Napoli in 1984, he reached his greatest potential while at the club, winning two Serie A titles (1987, 1990) and the UEFA Cup (1989). Meanwhile, he shined on the international stage for Argentina, guiding them to the 1986 World Cup trophy while winning the Golden Ball at the tournament's best player.

But in March 1991, the Italian Football Federation suspended Maradona for 15 months after he tested positive for cocaine. He returned to Buenos Aires, but could not escape his troubles. On the morning on 26 April, police roused him from bed at his apartment and arrested him for possession of cocaine.

Maradona's ongoing problems proved too much for Napoli, who transferred him to Sevilla in 1992 at the completion of his suspension. His troubles continued, however, including a dismissal from the 1994 World Cup after a positive test for ephedrine and another arrest for cocaine possession in 1997. The latter effectively ended his playing career.

He returned to the sport in 2008 to manage Argentina's 2010 World Cup campaign, but his contract expired after the tournament. He followed that with a brief spell in charge of UAE club Al Wasl from 2011 to 2012 and he is currently out of football.

19 November 2008 - Argentina Tries To Recapture The Magic

On 19 November 2008, Argentina embarked upon the new Diego Maradona era with a 1-0 victory over Scotland.

As a player, Maradona had led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, then to the 1990 Final. His playing career ended in 1994, but he remained a near-permanent fixture in the press due to his public battles with drug use and weight gain. He had been out of professional football for over 13 years when Argentina came calling again and had no managerial experience other than a year apiece at a couple of clubs in Argentina--Mandiyú in 1994 and Racing Club in 1995.

His first match in charge of the national team was the win against Scotland, thanks to an 8th-minute goal from Maxi Rodriguez. But poor results followed, including a record 6-1 loss to Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on 1 April 2009. Argentina eventually did qualify, prompting Maradona to instruct to his critics to "suck it." But after cruising through their first-round group, they lost 4-0 to Germany in the Round of 16.

Maradona's term ended in July 2010 after the Argentinian Football Association chose not to renew his contract.

23 July 1966 - The Beginning Of A Beautiful Rivalry

On 23 July 1966, Argentina met hosts England in the quarterfinals of that year's World Cup, sparking a heated rivalry that has provided some of the Cup's most dramatic matches and endures to the present day.

The two countries had met five times previously, resulting in two wins each with one match abandoned because of poor weather. But the matches did not become a full-blown rivalry until the 1966 meeting. Playing before a crowd of 90,000 at London's Wembley Stadium, the match was unremarkable until the 35th minute, when German referee Rudolf Kreitlein ejected Argentina's captain, midfielder Antonio Rattín as the Argentine attempted to speak with him.

The basis for the ejection was unclear. British newspapers claimed that the captain had been sent off for "violence of the tongue," while commentators in Argentina said that Rattín was tossed for giving Kreitlein a dirty look. Regardless of the reason, the ejection raised the emotions of the Argentinian players and the match took an ugly turn, with England winning thanks to a 78th-minute strike from Geoff Hurst. Afterward, England manager Alf Ramsey referred to the visiting players as "animals" and refused to allow the English team to swap shirts with them.

England went on to win the Final, but the rivalry continued in future World Cups, including the 1986 meeting in which Diego Maradona scored the "Hand of God" goal, the 1998 match which England lost after David Beckham's ejection, and the 2002 match in which Beckham redeemed himself. The current record stands at fifteen matches, with six England wins, four Argentina wins (including one by penalty shootout), and five draws.

8 July 1990 - The Worst World Cup Final

On 8 July 1990, West Germany won their third World Cup trophy, beating defending champions Argentina in an ugly Final that saw the South American side reduced to nine men before the end. It was a rematch of the previous Final, in which Argentina had beaten the Germans 3-2.

Unlike the 1986 Final, however, the 1990 one was a dire, negative affair widely considered the worst Final in the tournament's history. Playing before a crowd of 73,603 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, both teams used a negative defensive style despite the presence of ordinarily dynamic playmakers such as Diego Maradona and Rudi Völler. After a scoreless first half, the match took a turn for the worse when Argentina defender Pedro Monzón, who had come on as a 46th-minute substitute, received a straight red card for a foul on Jürgen Klinsmann, becoming the first-ever player to be sent off in a World Cup Final.

The second was not far behind. After an 85th-minute Andreas Brehme penalty gave West Germany the lead, thanks to a foul on Völler by midfielder Roberto Sensini, forward Gustavo Dezotti earned his second yellow card of the night and was ejected in the 87th minute. The Germans held on for the remainder of the match to claim their third World Cup, tying them with Brazil as the country with the most World Cup titles.

With the win, German manager Franz Beckenbauer became only the second man (after Brazil's Mario Zagallo) to win a World Cup as a player and manager.

2 July 1982 - Not One Of Maradona's Finer Moments

On 2 July 1982, South American titans Brazil and Argentina clashed in the World Cup, with the Brazilians emerging as 3-1 winners in the second round match-up to send the defending champions home.

Meeting in the second round group stage, it was a must-win game for the title-holders, who had already lost their first second-round match to Italy, 2-1. But Brazil quickly took charge of the match, as playmaker Zico scored an 11th-minute goal off a free-kick. Argentina keeper Ubaldo Fillol saved the kick, but the deflected ball hit the bar and fell in the path of Zico, who tapped it home. Striker Serginho (pictured) doubled the lead with a header in the 66th minute, then Júnior added a third goal in the 75th minute.

The tournament ended ten minutes later for Argentina's Diego Maradona, playing in his first World Cup. After a high challenge by Brazilian substitute Batista against Argentina defender Juan Barbas, Maradona kicked Batista in the midsection and was ejected. Despite being down to ten men, however, Argentina striker Ramón Díaz scored an 89th minute consolation goal to end the match at 3-1.

The match eliminated Argentina, but Brazil followed soon after, losing to eventual champions Italy 3-2 in their final match of the second round. Argentina got their revenge in 1990, as they eliminated Brazil in the Round of 16.

29 June 1986 - Germans Are The Bridesmaids Again

On 29 June 1986, Argentina won their second World Cup, beating West Germany 3-2 with a dramatic 83rd-minute goal from midfielder Jorge Burruchaga (pictured). It was the second consecutive loss in the Final for the West Germans, who would go on to win the tournament in 1990.

Both teams advanced to the Final in exciting fashion, with West Germany winning a penalty kick shootout to get past hosts Mexico in the quarterfinals. One day later, Argentina defeated England with two goals from Diego Maradona, including the infamous "Hand of God."

Playing before a crowd of 114,600 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Argentina took a surprising 2-0 lead with goals from sweeper José Luis Brown (23') and forward Jorge Valdano (55'). Germany stormed back, however, thanks to two corner kicks that resulted in goals from forwards Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (74') and Rudi Völler (80'). But as the match neared extra time, Burruchaga sprinted down the right side of the pitch and beat center back Hans-Peter Briegel to slot the ball past keeper Harald Schumacher for the win.

It was the second World Cup trophy for the Argentines, who had won their first in 1978.

25 June 1978 - Argentina Treats The Dutch To A Loss

On 25 June 1978, hosts Argentina won their first World Cup, defeating the Netherlands 1-3 (aet), making them the fifth country to win the Cup as hosts.

The tournament took place during the reign of dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, who had taken control of the nation through a military coup two years earlier. After the coup, several countries, including the Netherlands, publicly debated whether to withdraw from the tournament. But all of the qualified teams eventually chose to participate.

Both Argentina and the Netherlands finished second in their respective first-round groups, but advanced to the Final by finishing at the top of their second-round groups. Argentina did so controversially, as they entered their last second-round match against Peru needing to win by more than four goals in order to pass group leaders Brazil. They won 6-0.

Playing the Final before a crowd of 71,483 at Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental, Argentina took a 37th-minute lead with a goal from Valencia striker Mario Kempes (pictured). The goal tied Kempes with Holland's Rob Rensenbrink as the tournament's top scorer. The Dutch, playing in their second consecutive Final, equalized with a header from midfielder Dick Nanninga in the 82nd minute. Rensenbrink came close to winning the match in stoppage time, but his shot hit the post.

In extra time, Kempes struck again in the 104th minute. It was his sixth goal of the tournament and earned him the golden boot. Winger Daniel Bertoni added an insurance goal in the 115th minute to complete the day's scoring.

12 June 2002 - Argentina Evicted

On 12 June 2002, one day after favorites France were eliminated from the 2002 World Cup, fellow title hopefuls Argentina were knocked out by Sweden. It was the first time since 1962 that Argentina failed to advance past the first round.

Argentina entered the match in Group F's third place on three points, one point behind England and Sweden, and needed a win to secure their place in the next round. They dominated possession, with 65% to Sweden's 35%, but squandered several chances to take the lead. In the first half, midfielder Juan Pablo Sorín received a cross right in front of the goal, but headed the ball over the bar. Later in the half, another cross found forward Claudo López on the left edge of the goal, but he put it into the side netting.

Sweden finally broke the deadlock when midfielder Anders Svensson curled a 59th-minute freekick over the wall and into the goal's top left corner, just past the outstretched hand of Argentina's keeper, Pable Cavallero. The Swedes had a chance to extend their lead late in the second half, but Andreas Andersson's shot hit the bar.

Argentina drew level in the 88th minute, as forward Ariel Ortega was tripped in the box. Swedish keeper Magnus Hedman blocked the ensuing penalty kick, but it rebounded to the feet of second-half substitute Hernán Crespo, who slammed it home for the equalizer. The Argentines were unable to find another, however, and the match ended 1-1 to send Argentina home.

5 March 1940 - Argentina Rolls In The Roca

On 5 March 1940, Argentina beat Brazil 6-1 in Buenos Aires. It remains the largest margin of victory in the rivalry between the two countries.

The match was part of the Roca Cup, an irregular tournament played between Argentina and Brazil that dated back to 1913 when it was founded by General Julio Roca (pictured). Roca was a football enthusiast who also happened to be a former president of Argentina and, in 1913, was their ambassador to Brazil. He proposed the tournament to help develop the sport and also donated the trophy.

The 1940 edition was the fifth tournament, with Brazil and Argentina evenly splitting the previous four--Brazil won in 1914 and 1922, while Argentina won in 1923 and in 1939 (the 1939 tournament actually extended into February 1940). The 1940 tournament kicked off on 5 March with a table format. Three matches were scheduled, with the winners receiving two points for a win and one point for a draw.

Argentina opened the tournament (and defended their recently-won title) with a dominant 6-1 smackdown--the most lopsided victory by either side in the rivalry and Brazil's worst loss since their record 6-0 defeat to Uruguay in 1920. Brazil won the second match, 2-3, but Argentina again rolled in the final match, winning 5-1 to top the final table with four points to Brazil's two.

Despite the crushing losses, Brazil came back in the next tournament, played in 1945, and reeled off four straight Roca Cups (1945, 1957, 1960, 1963). The two teams shared the title in 1971 before Brazil won the last tournament in 1976, finishing with eight Cups to Argentina's four.

17 November 2007 - Zanetti Pops A Record Cap

On 17 November 2007, Argentina defeated Bolivia, 3-0, in a World Cup qualifier before a crowd of 43,308 at Buenos Aires' Estadio Antonio V. Liberti. In that match, Argentina captain Javier Zanetti made his 116th appearance for his country, becoming Argentina's most-capped player.

Zanetti made his international debut on 16 November 1994. He represented Argentina for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, but was controversially omitted from the 2006 World Cup squad by then-coach José Pekerman. Pekerman resigned after the tournament, however, and was replaced by Alfio Basile, who recalled Zanetti for a friendly against France on 7 February 2007. Since then, he has remained a mainstay of the national team, with 136 caps at present.

The match against Bolivia was a convincing win, with a first-half goal from Sergio Agüero (40') and a second-half brace from Juan Román Riquelme (56', 74'). Argentina struggled throughout the remainder of qualification, though, securing its trip to South Africa only on the last day with a 0-1 away win over Uruguay.

30 October 1960 - The Albicelestes' Greatest Star Is Born

On 30 October 1960, Argentinian superstar Diego Maradona was born in the city of Lanús.

Raised in poverty on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona joined Argentinos Juniors as a 10-year old youth player. He signed his first professional contract with them in 1976 and made 167 appearances before transferring to Boca Juniors in 1981.

After an impressive performance for Argentina in the 1982 World Cup, he moved to Barcelona for a then-record fee of £5 million. Although successful during his time in Spain, winning a 1983 treble of the Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga, and Spanish Super Cup, his relationship with the club was tempestuous and he moved to Napoli in 1984 for a new record fee of £6.9 million.

He became a true international superstar in 1986, when he captained Argentina to the World Cup title, playing every minute of every match for the Albicelestes, scoring 5 goals and making 5 assists. Two of those goals came in the legendary 2-1 win over England--the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century," which cemented his status as one of football's greatest players. He followed his World Cup success by winning silverware with Napoli, including two Serie A titles (1987, 1990) and the UEFA Cup (1989). He left Napoli in 1991 and spent time with Sevilla (1992-93), Newell's Old Boys (1993), and a second stint at Boca Juniors (1995-97) before retiring.

Despite a controversial personal life, including a constant struggle with a cocaine addiction, Maradona was voted FIFA's Co-Player of the Century in 2000, along with Pelé.