The classic biography, Fully Updated
The new English language edition Maradona: The Hand of God -the definitive biography, and a recognised classic of football writing, was published in the Spring of 2021 by Bloomsbury with new chapter entitled A Death Foretold, detailing the last ten years of the football legend turbulent life , from the 2010 World Cup to the global outpouring of grief and remembrance after he suffered a fatal heart attack on the 25th November 2020
New paperback, kindle, audio book… www.bloomsbury.com/uk/maradona-9781526639417/
also available on amazon.co.uk
Follow Jimmy on twitter @jimmy_burns
“… When all is said and done, I still look back at the 1986 Wold Cup in Mexico as Maradona’s most sublime moment when he carved out a special niche in football history and the collective memory….As a final reflection by this biographer, it seems much of the mythology and self-delusion surrounding Diego Maradona is inseparable from the Argentine psyche , for ever seeking-and failing to find-a redeemer to lift it from its political and economic failure…
Maradona’s ambivalent life resonated in the time of Covid, a time of unpredictability, of suffering, of dislocation and when people searched for healing and hope….”
Jimmy Burns February 2021
Anyone doubting that Diego Maradona was more than just a football player had only to witness the outpourings after his death on November 25th 2020. During his tempestuous life and career, he played for top clubs in South America and Europe, notably Napoli where he became an adored hero and adopted son, and grew to be a legend in his homeland of Argentina after leading them to victory in the 1986 World Cup.
Having gained access to his inner circle, Jimmy Burns traces Maradona’s life from the slums of Buenos Aires, where he was born, through his great years of triumph, to the United States from where, in 1994, he was ignobly expelled after undergoing a positive drugs test. He also tells of his failed attempt to bring further glory to Argentina as coach in the 2010 World Cup, and ultimately, his tragic decline and recent death.
Widely regarded as the best and most revealing account of the highs, lows, genius and flaws of arguably the greatest footballer of all time.
The subject of this book is one of the world’s most controversial and flamboyant sportsmen, arguably the greatest footballer and certainly the most widely-know footballer of the modern age. Maradona played for top clubs in South America and Europe, and was a central figure in four World Cups. In retirement he continues to grab global headlines.
This best-selling biography is the product of research in several countries on both sides of the Atlantic, and the gaining of unprecedented access to Maradona’s inner circle, and to other key witnesses such as players, managers, trainers, doctors, and officials. The result is an extraordinary story straddling the international scene, from the slums of Buenos Aires where Maradona was born, to the huge stadiums of the United States from where, in 1994, he was ignobly expelled after undergoing a positive drugs test.
In his rise to fame-and notoriety-Maradona played for some of the world’s greatest teams including Boca Juniors and FC Barcelona. He scored some brilliant goals- and cheated with others. He provoked fans into a mass hysteria of adulation, and his enemies into sinister campaigns to destroy him. He made friends with the Mafia and became a cocaine addict. He betrayed as many friends as he made, and loved far too many women. A political and sociological phenomenon, he earned millions and spoke for the poor, challenging some of the more powerful vested interests in football. This is Maradona’s incredible inside story.
The Life & Death of Maradona, & Other Football matters : Jimmy Burns Interviewed by Fatima Nollen ( Event organised by the Anglo-Argentine Society supported by the The BritishSpanish Society April 20, 2021 – watch the video interview here
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