JOHN RALBIN
“Everything he was thinking in his head, he made it happen with his feet”
The Golden Boy is not just an icon but is an impulse. Diego Armando Maradona enchanted fans all over the world in his two-decade long career with his bewitching elegance of skills. Short and stocky 5 feet 5-inch man was not a typical athlete, but he ruled the football world as king with his bold vision, agility, unpredictable mastery of attack, ball control, accurate passing, dribbling skills, unprecedented pace and most of all his devastating left-foot. The football world called the man by the name ‘El Pibe de Oro’ -The Golden Boy.
“The scorching sun may set, but the heat never subsides.’’ I believe that he was the inspiration for many young Indian soccer aspirants, including, Indian Black Pearl, I. M Vijayan. Though Maradona was often paired with the Brazilian great Pele, many admit that, ‘Maradona is the Greatest of All’. The Argentine who scored 259 goals in 491 matches was honoured by FIFA as the greatest player of 20th century. The number-10 jersey he worn was iconic as it accords a stature of something best. “Everything he was thinking in his head, he made it happen with his feet”, said one of his team-mates.
Maradona made his Indian debut in 2008 at Kolkata at the inaugural pomp of a private football academy but undetected by the populace. Four years later the golden boy returned to India, this time to another passionate spot of football, Kerala; the impromptu moments of kicking and heading ball with I. M Vijayan before the cheering multitude was undoubtedly overwhelming. Maradona has described India as a ‘Sleeping Football Giant’ when he foretold the coming of a new Indian era in football. While he has been one of the motives of India’s love towards football, it’s evident that we need to make giant leaps to be anywhere closer to the best.
“Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be failed. Rest In Peace, ace. You will never be forgotten”, said Cristiano Ronaldo on Maradona’s untimely death. Even if the all-time great has bid farewell prematurely, his impact will endure for decades to come.∎
John Ralbin is a sports master and a physical trainer; and had once travelled 2,350km to see Maradona in Kolkata.
