Its been one hell of a year...one thing after another with no end in sight.... The one thing my father and I did together was watch Napoli games...My father died this year February 3rd. He loved the team and loved watching Diego play... Now they are together. Its been hard watching games its not the same anymore but im hoping as time passes it gets better... Anyways Diego will forever be one of us... He embodied not only the team but the city of Napoli and its people.
I had posted this on my facebook wall and thought I'd share it... Courtesy of San Jose History page, in memory of Diego Maradona’s passing, here is a program of the game between UNAM PUMAS of Mexico City and Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, Italy that took place on April 5th 1985 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose. The old North American Soccer League or NASL had just folded and that was the circuit that featured soccer's biggest superstar's and they all came and played at Spartan from 1974 -84 to play against the San Jose Earthquakes. With the league gone, the game was an unknown and none of us knew if the soccer would just disintegrate into oblivion. Former Quakes GM Peter Bridgwater decided to field a Quakes amateur team of mostly American born players to play and also to host a series of exhibition games with international teams. He used his former NASL connections to get both Napoli and Pumas to come to San Jose and play a friendly game which ended in a 2-2 draw. Napoli had just signed Argentine superstar Diego Maradona and he was leading the team. Some friends I was with went inside the locker-room and took pictures alongside him. Their pre and post-game parties were all held at Guido’s Pizzeria on Bascom Ave. Napoli coach Rino Marchesi told Maradona whatever he does, do not enter Pumas penalty box as it was only an exhibition match and there was no need to get injured. He in fact didn’t do much during the match but the game nonetheless was a sellout. Maradona wanted a special kind of silk fabric bedsheets for his hotel room and Bridgwater gave a credit card to one of his people to one his people all the way up to San Francisco as the local Valley Fair Mall hadn’t been opened yet and Stanford’s shopping mall also didn’t have the special sheets he wanted. Major League Soccer didn’t come around for another 11 years on April 6th 1996 so this game provided us with lasting memories during a period (1984-1995) when soccer died). As a kid, I saw Giorgio Chinaglia , Pele , Franz Beckenbauer, Roberto Bettega , George Best , Gerd Mueller , Rodney Marsh and many more all play live at Spartan and seeing Diego playing at Spartan was the clincher and provided a lasting memory I will never forget. Rest in Peace Diego Armando Maradona!
I tried to watch the game the day after. There was no soul. How can there be when you rip its heart out? To many of us Diego was all there is to football. A man of the people, defender of the poor and oppressed. Arrogant against the strong, humble towards the weak. A magician that mesmerized. The greatest that ever was and the greatest that ever will be. You could not not fall in love. He was special. I have the privilege to say HO VISTO MARADONA Grande Diego
Boca's players pay tribute to Diego in a game between Boca e Newell's at the Bombonera Stadium goal by Cardona. Diego's Daughter Dalma is shaken with tears....
Along with Diego two weeks ago, Paolo Rossi also left us yesterday! In the span of 14 days we've lost the hero's of the 1982 & 1986 World Cup's! Ora potrai scambiare 2 palleggi lassù con chi ti ha preceduto purtroppo di qualche giorno. R.I.P. grandi CAMPIONI #DiegoePablito
Only a year after his more famous brother Diego's passing, Hugo Maradona died from a heart attack at his home in Monte di Procida, near Naples, on 28 December 2021, at the age of 52. Although nothing like his brother , he had a decent career mostly in Japan. RIP!