A Star Named Maradona

This idea and execution came from Mercado McCann for CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation

A year ago, one of the most brilliant players this world has ever seen passed away, Diego Armando Maradona. In this context, CONMEBOL launched a tribute on behalf of the South American soccer, so that Diego would always be held up high and continue to shine just as he did when he was alive. The idea came from no other than the agency led by Martin Mercado, Mercado McCann.

In the coordinates RA: 12h 08m 21.5s DEC: -50° 50′ 16.8″, there’s a star full of glistening milestones for soccer named Maradona*.

Because he shone on Earth, now he will shine in the sky. That is the concept from which this tribute emerged. In this press release, you will find the spot communicating this historic event in the world of sports, transcending all frontiers. 

*Registered by Star Registration, under the ID 1307-87268-2718878

About Diego Armando Maradona:

Diego Maradona is considered beyond doubt as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. The magic of his number 10 jersey remains in the memory of all Argentinians, and also of Neapolitans, in a combination of worship and eternal gratitude for the joy that he was able to bring people. Amidst his anthological plays, lies the controversial ‘hand of God’, along with the most spectacular goal of the century. A private life of excess and scandals mark the most human side of this legendary character.

Diego Armando Maradona was born on October 30, 1960, in the humble neighborhood of Villa Fiorito, in the Buenos Aires district of Lanús. He began to play little league soccer at the age of 9, as part of the teamLos Cebollitas. In 1976, at the age of 15, he was recruited by Argentinos Juniors, an important club from the first division. A year later, he was summoned to play for the national team, where he earned the nickname ‘el pibe de oro’ (the golden kid).

At the age of 17, he was already one of the top 25 Argentinean players, but he wasn’t mature enough to join the team that would win the 1978 World Cup for Argentina. The next year, Diego led the team that won the FIFA World Youth Championship in Japan.

In 1980, he was transferred to Boca Juniors, one of Argentina’s main teams, and two years later, toBarcelona in Spain, for a record figure. Circa 1984, he was hired by Italy’s Napoli and performed brilliantly, conquering two Italian championships (1987 and 1990), an Italian Cup (1987), a UEFA Cup (1989) and an Italian Supercoppa (1990). 

He reached the peak in his career as a soccer player in Mexico’s 1986 World Cup, when he led the Argentinean national team to victory in the final against Germany (3-2). It was during that same World Cup that a motivated Maradona scored two of the most memorable goals against England in the quarter finals: the goal he pulled off with his hand (now known as ‘the hand of God’) and the play that years later would be catalogued as ‘the goal of the century’, when starting mid-field he managed to dodge 5 opponents and also the goalkeeper before scoring. The 2-1-win left England out of the World Cup and symbolized some sort of redemption for Argentinians, who had been defeated in the Falklands only 4 years before.

In his final years, he coached several teams: Dubai’s Al Wasl FC (2011-12), United Arab Emirates’ Al Fujairah SC (2017-18), Mexico’s Dorados de Sinaloa (2018-2019) and, lastly, Argentina’s Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata (2019-2020).

Diego A. Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, after cardiac arrest.

Source: Mercado McCann

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