Diego Maradona captivated the hearts of many during his sublime 21-year career in professional football.
Winning countless honours at both club and international level, the Argentine wizard is widely considered one of the best to have ever played the beautiful game.
But Maradona never graced the English shores spending his prime in Spain and Italy with Barcelona and Napoli respectively.
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That sentiment, however, did not mean the former Sevilla man refused to have an admiration for all that is great about the English top-flight.
But which team did he prefer you may ask? Well, Maradona answered that very question in an interview with FourFourTwo back in 2019.
“Manchester United used to be my favourite English team for so long,” said Maradona some six years ago.
“So many great players and a great team under Alex Ferguson. But now I have to say Man City.
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"I know you shouldn’t change like that but it’s because of Kun [Aguero].
"We speak a lot and he plays in a very good team. You see the thing with Pep…”
It is an answer that sums up the man Maradona was before his sad passing in 2020.
The 1986 World Cup winner left the world after a cardiac arrest at his home in Dique Lujan, Buenos Aires. But as controversial as his off-the-field life was, the ex-Boca Juniors midfielder didn't hide from his criticism of other players.
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“OK. With United I liked Ander Herrera. Paul Pogba? Doesn’t work hard enough," Maradona told Andy Mitten in the same FourFourTwo chat.
"I played at Old Trafford [in the 1983/84 Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final]. What noise, like La Bombonera. I use that game as an example to my players.
“And I remember that game in Manchester. Bryan Robson – he was my favourite English player of that generation – played that night.
"But I should have won a penalty in that game! Bryan Robson and Graeme Souness were the best British midfielders. Great players.”
Maradona made 91 appearances for his country, scoring 34 times for La Albiceleste.
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His glittering play-style and dazzling footwork caught the attention of all football fans around the world, despite his antics on 22 June 1986.
Topics: Diego Maradona, Maradona, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League
Matthew Holt