After being charged with drug trafficking, Diego Maradona’s family organised an intervention after which the star soccer player entered rehab. Not one for self‑reflection, Diego secretly checked himself out of rehab because, as he said, he was sick of talking about his childhood. So, in 1992, as an overweight 32‑year‑old, he decided that he would play football again.
It wasn't so easy however, as Napoli, the last team he had played for, declared that Maradona was non‑transferable, rejecting a $2.5 million transfer‑fee offer from Sevilla. Diego came back to Napoli and told them he was fine with that, but he wanted no less than a villa in Capri, a holiday every six weeks, and the cancellation of the $2.1 million debt he owed the club!
Enter Sepp Blatter, believing that the world needed to see God on the football field again, organised a multi‑million‑pound cross‑deal that included TV rights and all sorts of other high jinks, including the involvement of one Sergio Berlosconi.
Despite Diego Maradona being unfit, the initial ticket sales instantly justified the multi-million dollar deal.
Playing in Spain, Maradona dreams of becoming a bullfighter and after getting pulled over for exceeding 200km per hour in his Porsche, he suggests the officer should kiss his shoes.
His crazy adventure never seems to cease, highlights include becoming the adopted son of Fidel Castro, hosting a TV talk show with guests Pelé, Mike Tyson, Robbie Williams, Julio Iglasi among others. He comes close to fathering enough children with various women to form a soccer team and a nurse steals a sample of his blood that becomes a sacred relic in a church (while he is still alive).
More on the Sports Bizarre podcast with Titus O’Reilly and Mick Molloy: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/bizarre-with-mick-molloy-and-t-4788182/episodes/diego-maradona-part-7-sports-b-267294992
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