How we remember you (The Michael Jackson Syndrome)

Micheal Jackson, The King of Pop, will go down in history as one of the greatest and most influential recording artists of the 20th Century. Has 13 number one singles in the US, 13 Grammy awards and sales of over 750 million units worldwide. What an amazing career right?

My favourite MJ moment has to be his performance at Mowtown 25 in 1983 where he first performed the "Moonwalk" (Imagine seeing that for the first time, pretty cool right) his performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers during its initial airing, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the The Beatles appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. I feel it embodies everything that made us fall in love with Jackson back in the early 80's. The short trousers, the slick dance moves, the great voice, the "Soul Glo" in the hair, the sequin jacket and the glitter glove. We loved them so much back in 1983 that Thriller went on to sell over 100 million copies(to date) which is over double that of any other album.

If Michael Jackson had been shot by some deranged fan (believe me when I say I know quite a few of them....... EX-GF) back in lets say 1985 it would have been like James Dean death all over again only with a real career behind him. We would have talked about what a legend this guy could have gone on to be and the debates of whether or not he was the greatest musician of all time.

Fast forward 23 years from 1985 and we reach 2008. In 2008 Micheal Jackson probably gets compared more to Gary Glitter than Elvis Presley. In 2008 when most people think of Michael Jackson it's probably not for music or the moonwalk, more like allegations of being a paedophile and his ever changing face. It's tainted the way we think about Jackson and his legacy.

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    1983                                                                                        2008

Rightly or wrongly in 2008 you just can look at Michael and not think about all the other stuff that's happen. Just the other day I was watching MTV and the extended version of Thriller was on and I found myself wondering whether I would prefer to look like him as a zombie or his real face? Some would argue there is no difference but I would go with the zombie, more color. I also found the idea of Michael Jackson taking a girl out on a date very funny indeed and thought that if he really did have a date it was more of the play-date variety then first-date. 

I don't want to think of him like that! But what can you do? He has forever tainted his legacy to the point that most people in the world don't think of him as a muti-talented recording artist with one of the greatest ever back catalogs but as a kiddie-fiddling, Jesus juice drinking, skin bleaching weirdo. Even I who tries to look past all of that find it very hard and feel slightly robbed that I can't remember him for all the good instead of the controversial.

So knowing this, I've decided create a Meme called "Michael Jackson Syndrome" and encompass all those Footballers(yes this is a football blog, and not a anti Michael Jackson page so back of Tom Sneddon) who have tainted their legacies (none as bad as the founder of the clubs) so we remember more an incident of controversy rather than their great work of football.

Diagnosis.

You can only have Michael Jackson Syndrome or MJS if you had a great career or had immense talent overshadowed by other things. That's why Stan Collymore and his dogging does not count.

So in no particular order let's get the list of those infected with MJS out there for all to see.

Paul Gascoigne -

He is widely regarded as one of the most gifted footballers of his generation, gifted with tricks and skills most other English footballers could only dream of. We all fell in love with Gazza back at the 1990 World Cup in Italy with he amazing performance against Germany in the semi final and his tears. It's not often you see a grown man cry and feel as much sympathy for him no matter who you are. The one moment that probably captures Gazza best was that wonderful goal he scored at Euro 96 (Look away now Scotland fans)where he mane Colin Hendry look like a right chump before blasting it home to send England on their way to the quarter finals (I remember watching this game at my buddy Pete's house and for some reason we listed to "We will rock you" by Queen about 5 times full blast before the game......... I still don't know why!). But quite like Gazza's career, the goal is remembered just as much for the skill as the celebration that followed it, the infamous "Dentists Chair".

Dentist Chair

It encapsulates perfectly how Gazza's legacy is remembered, the goal probably plays second fiddle to the celebration. That's pretty much how he will be remembered, we wont forget the tricks and skills but will think about the many stories that have been published over the years detailing the various antics and pranks he has perpetrated and been involved in, as well as his battles with alcoholism and domestic abuse.

Alcoholism and Domestic Abuse

Think about it, how hard is it to think about Paul Gascoigne without thinking he is a pisshead who beat up his wife? It overshadows all the great football he produced over his career and stopped him from raising his game to an even higher level.

Due to all his off-field incidents, he is perceived to have never fulfilled his potential as a player and what he did show us in those years can so easily be blocked out by the way we look at him today.

I want to remember Gazza for the tricks, skills and tears and not the booze, wife beating and mental problems.

Harald "Toni" Schumacher -

Toni will for all time be remembered as the man who almost killed French defender Patrick Battiston in the 1982 World Cup.

The Incident

Both Battiston and Schumacher were chasing down a long-ball pass, sprinting at each other and the ball from opposite directions. Battiston arrived just before Schumacher, firing off a shot to the left of Schumacher. Just before the resulting collision, Schumacher jumped and put his hands in the air and to his left, as if trying to stop the ball, even though the ball already had passed him. He also seemed to oddly twist and contort his legs off to the side of him while mid-flight, resulting in his buttocks actually making the first impact with Battiston (That would have to have been the worlds first major death by buttocks right?).

Afterward's, Battiston was prone, unmoving on the pitch, with his two front teeth knocked out and damaged vertebrae. He received oxygen on the pitch. Michel Platini later said that he thought that Battiston was dead, because "he had no pulse and looked pale". The Dutch referee Charles Corver awarded a goal kick, since Battiston's shot had sailed wide of the goal and rolled out of play (Another kick in the teeth........sorry). The score was 3-3 after extra time, and Germany won the match on penalties.

Legacy

It's totally understandable why people remember Harald Schumacher this way as it's not every World Cup a player almost dies from a arse to the face. But it does overshadow a very good career and infects him with MJS.

With FC Koln, the team he played the majority of he career with and enjoyed their best years of success with him, he won 3 German cups, 1 Uefa Cup and 1 League Title. He then went on to win 1 Turkish league title with Fenerbache. He also won 76 caps for Germany, captaning them in the 86 World Cup were he won the Goalkeeper of the tournament award.

All in all a pretty good career overshadowed by one infamous moment when his butt met Patrick Battiston's face and the 82 World cup stood still.

Roberto Baggio -

As far a penalty misses go you can't get much bigger than the deciding kick of a World Cup final and that's just what are next man on the list of MJS sufferers did.

1994 World Cup

Let's forget Baggio was the cornerstone of the Italy team during the tournament, leading them single-handedly to the final after a disappointing start.

He scored five goals, all in the knockout phase, and he started every match from the beginning: two in the round of 16 to beat Nigeria (scoring with 2 minutes left of the game sending it into extra time, and then another goal in extra time), one in the quarter-finals to top Spain (the game winner with 3 minutes remaining) and two to beat Bulgaria in the semi-finals. If Italy had gone on to win the trophy Baggio would have rivaled Maradona's effort 8 years earlier as the single greatest World Cup feat (Winning it for you country single handed). 

Unfortunately Baggio was not fully fit for the final against Brazil (Ironic that four years latter this would happen to Brazil and Ronaldo), which ended 0-0 after extra time; he took Italy's last penalty in the resulting shoot-out, but his kick went over the cross-bar and the Brazilians won the title. Two other Italians, Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro, had already missed penalties, but seemed to have been forgot in time as only Baggio's is really remembered.

Baggio finished tied for second in the tournament in goals scored and was named one of the top three players, the other two being himself and himself.

Club Career

It's easy to forget that the former World and European Footballer of the year was also at one point the world's most expensive player.

He was sold to Juventus amid outcry from Fiorentina fans in 1990 for €12 million (US$19 million). Following the transfer, there were full scale riots on the streets of Florence where fifty people were injured (Don't remember Leeds fans being that upset when Rio went to United). Baggio replied to his fans saying: "I was compelled to accept the transfer" which makes me think Juve president, Vittorio Caissotti di Chiusano did a Marlon Brando in Godfather and Baggio woke up with a horses head in his bed.

Baggio won his first Scudetto with Juventus in 1995. This was the first of many league titles to come for Juventus in the 1990s. After strong pressure from AC Milan chairman and overall supreme ruler of Italy Silvo Berlusconi, he was sold to the Milanese club. At this time, he had been linked with Man Utd and Blackburn in the Premiership, but no firm offers were made from either of these clubs. Just think if he had gone to Blackburn......... I'd rather not!

Honors

With Juventus

• Coppa Italia: 1995
• UEFA Cup: 1993
• Serie A: 1994-95

With Milan

• Serie A: 1995-96

Individual honours

• U-23 European Footballer of the Year: 1990
• UEFA Cup Winners Cup top scorer: 1990-91
• European Footballer of the Year(Ballon d'Or/Golden Ball): 1993
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 1993
• Platinum Football award by TV Sorrisi and Canzoni: 1992
• Onze D'Or by French Magazine 'Onze Mondial': 1993
• Bravo award with Fiorentina: 1990
• Golden Guerin with Vicenza: 1985
• Golden Guerin with AC Milan: 1996
• Golden Guerin with Brescia: 2001
• Azzuri Team of The Century: 2000
• FIFA Dream Team of All-Time: 2002
• 'Most Loved Player' Award via Internet Polls: 2001
• 'Most Loved Player' Award at the Italian Oscars: 2002
• FIFA 100: 2004
• Giuseppe Prisco award: 2004
• The Champions Promenade - Golden Foot 2003
• Guerin's Sportivo 150 Grandi del Secolo
• Placar's 100 Craques do Seculo
• Planète Foot's 50 Meilleurs Joueurs du Monde
• Italy All-time XI by Football Italia
• Juventus All-time XI by Football Italia
• Brescia All-time XI by Football Italia

 

Selected statistics

• 318 goals in all competitions
• 76 goals from 91 penalties (best all time record in Italy)
• 32 goals in European competitions
• 9 goals in World Cup finals (Italia 90, USA 94, France 98)

Legacy

All in all a great player with a marvelous career that unfortunately will be most remembered for the 94 World Cup Final then all the over great feats he achieved. If only he was English he could have made so much more money through Pizza Hut adverts, but then again not even he could have gotten England to the 94 World Cup Final.

Eric Cantona -

King Eric, gifted, intelligent, complex and good with his feet!.

What ever else Cantona did in his career the thing we all think of first was (In my best Clive Tildsley voice) "That memorable night at Selhurt Park"

The Incident

It was 25 January 1995. In an away match against Crystal Palace, Cantona was sent off by the for a vengeful kick on Palace defender Richard Shaw after Shaw had pulled his shirt. As he was being escorted from the pitch by United kit man Norman Davies, Cantona broke away and launched a 'kung-fu' style kick into the crowd, directed at Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons, followed by a series of punches.

Simmons was later tried for threatening language and behavior, and attacked the prosecution counsel after being found guilty, leaping over a bench and executing a flying kick of his own. He was sentenced to seven days in jail, but only served 24 hours of his sentence. At a press conference called later, Cantona gave what is perhaps his most famous quotation. Referring to how journalists would constantly monitor his behavior, Cantona said, in a slow and deliberate manner "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown in to the sea".

The only thing in major sports I've seen top this was a fight in the NBA a few season back. Would have glorious to see Roy Keane and Peter Schmichael rush the crowd in support of King Eric!

A lot of you United fans out there might not know this but Cantona's career did start before went to Old Trafford and it was full of controversy.

France

Cantona's first football club was Auxerre, where he spent two years in the youth team before making his debut on 5 November 1983, in a 4-0 league victory over Nancy.

Signing a professional contract in 1986, his performances in the First Division were good enough to earn him his first full international cap. However, the first of his disciplinary problems had already begun when in 1987 he was fined for punching team mate Bruno Martini in the face^.

The following year Cantona was again in trouble because of a dangerous tackle on Nantes player, Michel Der Zakarian, resulting in a three games suspension from the game, later reduced to two, as his club Auxerre threatened to make the player unavailable for selection in the national team. He was part of the French U-21 side that won the 1988 U-21 European Championship and shortly after that success, he transferred to Marseille, the club he supported as a boy, for a French record fee (FF22m). Cantona had always shown signs of being 'short tempered' in his career, and in January 1989 during a friendly game against Torpedo Moscow he kicked the ball at the crowd and ripped off and threw away his jersey after being substituted. His club responded by banning him for a month. Just a few months earlier, he had been banned from international matches for one year after insulting the national coach on TV.

Having struggled to settle at Marseille, Cantona moved to Montpellier on a year-long loan. At Montpellier, he was involved in a fight with team-mate Jean-Claude Van Damme Lemoult and threw his boots in Lemoult's face (I think he did this because Jean-Claude refused to teach him the roundhouse kick). The incident led to six players demanding that Cantona be sacked. However, with the support of team-mates such as Laurent Blanc and Carlos Valderrama, the club retained his services though banned him for ten days. Cantona was instrumental as the team went on to win the French Cup and his form persuaded Marseille to take him back.

In December 1991, during a match for Nîmes he threw the ball at the referee, having been angered by one of his decisions. He was summoned to a disciplinary hearing by the FFF and was banned for one month. Cantona responded by walking up to each member of the hearing committee in turn and calling him an "idiot". His ban was increased to 3 months. For Cantona this was the last straw and he announced his retirement from football in December 1991.

Leeds United

Graeme Souness, the manager of Liverpool at the time was met by Michel Platini and told him he had a player who would like to play for Liverpool, he said his name was Eric Cantona. Souness thanked Platini, but declined the offer, citing dressing room harmony as his reason. Souness.........Dressing room harmony?!?!?!?!? Errrr Pot...Kettle....Black. It's decisions like that that make you realize why Souness was the man who brought down the Liverpool empire and started them on this 18 year run without a title. 

In January 1992 he joined Leeds United, where he was involved in the team that won the final old First Division championship in 91/92.

He left Leeds before the end of the 1992-93 season, which saw them finishing 17th out of 22 in the newly formed Premier League, moving to Manchester United in November 1992 for £1.2 million. He was sold after Howard Wilkinson telephoned Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson to ask about the availability of defender Dennis Irwin; he was rebuffed and Ferguson in turn asked about the availability of Cantona (Fergie and his Jedi mind tricks)

Manchester United

We all know how great he was at United and how integeral he was to the success during the years he was there.

Premier League

• Winner (4): 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96. 1996-97

FA Cup

• Winner (2):1993-94, 1995-96 

Domestically the only thing that he did not win was the league cup (But who really care's about that). Unfortunately for all the magic it is heavily out weighed by the controversy and Cantona is remembered more for that Kung-Fu kick then anything else.

George Best -

What a player, absolute football genius. If I had to rank my top three British players since the second world war it would be in this order 3. Paul Gascoigne 2. Kenny Dalglish 1. George Best.

End of discussion.

Gifted with amazing skill , great charm and looks to make most men not called Brad Pitt jealous, it's so tragic are thoughts of him will be best summed up with this picture.

His talent as a player has few rivals in the history of the game. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders. In 1968, his annus mirabelis, he won the European Cup with Manchester United, and was named European Footballer of the Year.

Manchester United

Best made his Manchester United debut, aged 17, on 14 September 1963 against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in a 1-0 victory. Two weeks later Best scored his first goal against Burnley (who had won the League only a few years earlier). By the close of the season Best had six goals, and Manchester United finished second, behind champions Liverpool.

In his 2nd Season, Best and Manchester United claimed the League title.

Best hit the headlines the age of twenty when he scored two goals in a European Cup quarter-final match against Benfica in 1966, and was dubbed "O Quinto Beatle" (The Fifth Beatle) in the press.

Best's talent and showmanship made him a crowd and media favourite. He was dubbed "the fifth Beatle" for his long hair, good looks and extravagant celebrity lifestyle.

The 1966-67 season was again successful as Manchester United claimed the league title by four points. The following season Best became a European Cup winner after scoring in the final against Benfica. United won 4-1 and Best was later crowned European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers Association Player of the Year; after that began a steady decline.

He opened two nightclubs the late 1960s, Oscar's and the other called Slack Alice's (Why are you not surprised?). However, he developed problems with gambling, womanizing and alcoholism.

In 1974, aged 27, Best quit United. His last competitive game for the club was on 1 January 1974 against QPR at Loftus Road.

Legacy

Best legacy is more tragic than the rest on this list as it claimed his life.

On 3 October 2005 Best was admitted to the private Cromwell Hospital in London, suffering from a Kidney infection caused by the side-effects of immuno-suppressive drugs used to prevent his body from rejecting his transplanted liver. On 27 October, newspapers stated that Best was close to death and had sent a farewell message to his loved ones. Best's condition improved at first, but deteriorated again in November. On 20 November the British tabloid News of the world published a picture of Best at his own request, showing him in his hospital bed, along with what was reported to be his final message: "Don't die like me".

I remember the day of his funeral very well and watched it live on TV, I even shed a few tears as they took the coffin out of the church for his final ride to the cemetery. I was surprised how upset I was during his funeral and realise that part of me hurt because I did not want to remember him as a drunk who died from his illness but as one of the greatest players whoever played the game I love so much

RIP - George Best 1946 - 2005

Zinedine Zidane - 

 

It's amazing how the very last thing you do in your career can be the most famous. I was hoping that it would end with Zizu lifting the World Cup for a second time. Unfortunately it was seeing the great man walk from the field after delivering a headbutt worthy of legends to Marco Matterazzi. My big regret from this was that Zizu connected with Materazzi chest and not his face which would have made it worth while.

But seriously, this incident propelled Zinade to a level of fame he could not have achieved otherwise. Of course in the game of football he will go down as one of the greats but this made him know to others who don't follow football. I've seen Zizu referenced in a lot of American media like The Simpsons and Family Guy, do you really think he would be known in the States if it were not for his Headbutt?

What makes this truly a legacy altering moment is the timing (which is everything don't you know?). It was the last thing he did as a pro footballer. There is no "Next Season" or "Next Match" and to quote Apollo Creed from Rocky 3 "THERE IS NO TOMORROW". I guess there is no one else in the game of Football who will have had a career like Zidane's and gone out the same way.

Juventus

• European Super Cup: 1996
• Intercontinental Cup: 1996
• Serie A: 1996-97, 1997-98

Real Madrid

• UEFA Champions League: 2001-02
• European Super Cup: 2002
• Intercontinental Cup: 2002
• La Liga: 2002-03

International

• World Cup: 1998
• European Championship: 2000

Individual

• European Player of the Year- 1998, 2000, 2001
• World Player of the Year - 1998, 2000, 2003

How quickly all that can be forgotten due to the most famous headbutt in football, but what way to go!

Diego Armando Maradona

If I say "The Hand of God" who actually thinks I might be about to speak about Jesus Christ, Allah, Buddha, Vishnou or any other deities? Didn't think so.

The world greatest player should be referred to as "The Worlds Greatest Player" right? Wrong! Not if your Maradona. He get labeled two other things before that by most people (not by me).

1. Cheat 
2. Drugs
3. Best Player Ever!

 

I hate the first one, yes he "cheated" but was it any worse than Michael Owens two dives against Argentina at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups to win penalties? I don't think so. Was it worse than Jurgen Klinsmann's dive in the 1990 World Cup final that got Monzon sent off and led to Germany winning it all? No. Just think if that last one had happened to England in a World Cup Final, I think Jurgen might be six-feet under today.

How it began Clubs

20 October 1976, Maradona made his professional debut with Argentinos Juniors, only ten days before his sixteenth birthday. This was like when Jesus went to John the Baptist to get...... Baptized, and start his preaching work on earth. He played there between 1976 and 1981, before his £1m transfer to Boca Juniors. Joining the squad midway through the 1981 season, Maradona played through 1982, and secured his first league winners' medal.

After the 82 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to Barcelona for a then world record £5m^. In 1983, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey, beating Real Madrid However, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona. First a bout with hepatitis, then a broken leg caused by an ill-timed tackle by Athletic Bilbao's Andoni Goikoetxa jeopardized his career but Maradona's physical strength and willpower (and the fact that he is a God and has Godlike powers) made it possible for him to soon be back on the pitch. At Barcelona, Maradona got into frequent disputes with the team's directors, especially club president Josep Luis Nunez (Satan), and in 1984, he demanded a transfer out of Nou Camp (Hell), He was transferred to Napoli (Heaven) in Italy for another record fee, £6.9m.

In Napoli, Maradona reached the peak of his professional career. He quickly became an adored star among the club's fans, and in his time there he elevated the team to the most successful era in its history. Led by Maradona, Napoli won their only Serie A titles in 1986/87 and 1989/1990, placing second in the league twice, in 1987/88 and 1988/89. Other honors during the Maradona era at Napoli included the Coppa Italia  in 1987, (second place in the Coppa Italia in 1989), the UEFA Cup in 1989 and the Italian Supercup in 1990. Maradona was the top scorer in Serie A in 1987/88.

That's basically like someone now going to Birmingham City and single handedly turning them in to a force in the Premiership. Not even C-Ron is that good!

However, during his time in Italy, Maradona's personal problems increased. His cocaine use continued (Imagine how much more Napoli could have won if Maradona had not been sticking half of Columbia up his nose), and he received US$ 70,000 in fines from his club for missing games and practices, ostensibly because of 'stress'. He faced a scandal there regarding an illegitimate Son (Immaculate conception) and he was also the object of some suspicion over an alleged friendship with the Camorra (Why him hanging out with Marlon Brando was a problem I will never know)

After serving a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test for cocaine, Maradona left Napoli in disgrace in 1992.
 

International

1986 World Cup

Maradona captained the Argentine national team to victory in the 86 World Cup, winning the final in Mexico against West Germany. Throughout the 1986 World Cup, Maradona asserted his dominance and was the most dynamic player of the tournament. He played every minute of every Argentina game, scored 5 goals and made 5 assists. However, it was the two goals he scored in a 2–1 quarter-final win against England which cemented his legend.

Legacy making

This particular match was played in the background of the Falklands war between those 2 very countries and emotions still were lingering in the air throughout the entire match. Replays showed that the first goal was scored by striking the ball with his hand (His turning water in to wine). Maradona was coyly evasive, describing it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." The play became known as the "Hand of God," or "la mano de Dios."

Legacy making (The goal Terry Butcher forgot)

If the first was cheating (something only crap evil players do aparently) then Maradona's second goal was truly from the Gods and cemented his place as the greatest. It was to be later voted by FIFA as the greatest goal in the history of the World Cup. He picked up the ball in his own half and with 11 touches swiveled around and ran more than half the length of the field, dribbling past five English players: (Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid twice, Kenny Sansom, Terry Butcher although he had his eyes closed and Terry Fenwick) and goalkeeper Peter Shilton. This goal was voted the Goal of the Century in a 2002 online poll conducted by FIFA. Terry Butcher entered the first goal in Crime of the Century but was disappointed when it was beaten by the Holocaust for first place. Butcher later said "Although the Holocaust was bad, it didn't hurt as many people as what that cheating little Dego Spik's hand did". At some point in the future people will forget Terry Butcher ever existed.

Maradona followed this with two more goals in the semi-final against Belguim, including another virtuoso dribbling display for the second goal. In the final, the opposing West German side attempted to contain him by double-marking, but he nevertheless found the space to give the final pass to Jorge Burruchaga for the winning goal. Argentina beat West Germany 3–2 in front of 115,000 spectators at the Azteca Stadium and Maradona lifted the World Cup trophy, ensuring that he would be remembered as one of The greatest names in football history. In a tribute to him, the Azteca Stadium authorities built a statue of him scoring the "goal of the century" and placed it at the entrance of the stadium.

1990 World Cup

Maradona captained Argentina again at Italy 90. An ankle injury affected his overall performance, and he was much less dominant than four years earlier (cocaine). Argentina were almost eliminated in the first round, only qualifying in third position from their group. In the round of 16 match against Brazil, Caniggia scored the only goal after being set up by Maradona.

In the quarter final, Argentina faced Yugoslavia (had just won the U-21 World Cup), the match ending 0–0 after 120 minutes, and Argentina advancing on penalty kicks, despite Maradona missing one of the penalties in the shootout with a weak shot at the center of the goal (He never tried to score a penalty with his mind ever again). The semifinal against the host nation Italy was also resolved on penalties after a 1–1 draw; this time, Maradona was successful with his effort (used his feet this time), daringly placing the ball at the exact same spot as his missed penalty in the previous round. In the final, Argentina lost 1–0 to West Germany, the only goal being a penalty by Adreas Brehme in the 85th minute after a controversial foul on Rudi "White man Soul Glo" Voller.

1994 World Cup

At the USA 94 Maradona played in only two games, scoring one goal against Greece, before being sent home after failing a drugs test for ephedrine doping. In his autobiography, Maradona argued that the test result was due to his personal trainer giving him the power drink Rip Fuel. His claim was that the U.S. version, unlike the Argentine one, contained the chemical and that, having run out of his Argentinian dosage, his trainer unwittingly bought the U.S. formula. FIFA subsequently expelled him from USA 94 and Argentina were subsequently eliminated in the second round. Maradona has also separately claimed that he had an agreement with FIFA, on which the organization reneged, to allow him to use the drug for weight loss before the competition in order to be able to play. According to Maradona, this was so that the World Cup would not lose prestige because of his absence. This allegation has never been proven.

Ever since 1986, it is common for Argentines abroad to hear Maradona's name as a token of recognition, even in remote places. The Tartan Army sing a version of the Hokey Cokey in honor of the Hand of God against England. In Argentina, Maradona is often talked about in terms reserved for legends. In the Argentine film El Hijo de la Novia ("The bride's son"), an actor who plays a fake Catholic priest says to a bar patron: "they idolized him and then crucified him". When scolded by a friend for taking the prank too far, the fake priest retorts: "But I was talking about Maradona".

In Rosario city, Argentina, fans organized the "Church of Maradona." Maradona's 43rd birthday in 2003 marked the start of the Year 43 D.D. - "Después de Diego" or After Diego - for its founding 200 members. Tens of thousands more have become members via the church's official web site. (More legit than Scientology)

Legacy

Unfortunately most people will still, even if they believe he is the Greatest who ever lived will still think of all the other stuff first and it's hard not to. I am one of Diego's biggest fans but even I have hand of God pop in to my brain before anything else.

But regardless of what pops into your mind first about Maradona, it's important that the second is "He is the Greatest ever". Maradona's come around once in a 100 years, so we only have to wait another 52 years for one to be born and 78 for him to show himself to us.

Last thought for you Pele lovers out there who claim he is the best........... Idiots...... My buddy Stew summed it up best when he said "Pele with Brazil one three World Cups, Maradona won one by himself"

Take care

Football Guy