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Goal rounds up 70 of the most interesting tidbits about the iconic former Argentina and Napoli star

Diego Maradona was an Argentine professional football player and coach, widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. In 2000, he was voted the FIFA Player of the Century, jointly with Pele. Maradona was known for his incredible dribbling skills, speed, and precise ball control, as well as his controversial off-field antics.

In 2005, Maradona was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame for his contributions to Italian football during his time with Napoli. In that same year, he was also inducted into the International Football Hall of Champions.

In 2008, Maradona became the head coach of the Argentine national football team, leading them to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup. However, his tenure was also marked by controversy, including a suspension for verbally abusing journalists and failing a drug test.

Throughout his career, Maradona won numerous awards and accolades, including two Serie A titles with Napoli, a World Cup championship with Argentina in 1986, and a Golden Ball award for being the best player at the 1986 World Cup. He passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60.

Born in Buenos Aires

Diego Armando Maradona was born on October 30, 1960, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesArgentina appearances

Maradona made 91 appearances for Argentina, scoring 34 goals.

Getty ImagesAppeared in four World Cups

He played in four World Cup tournaments for his country.

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Imago Images Club career

He helped Boca Juniors to the league championship in 1982 before making a move to Barcelona. But in 1984, he transferred to Napoli and helped them win their only two Serie A titles to date – in 1987 and 1990.

John Hastings, the Australia and Kolkata Knight Riders allrounder, has been ruled out of the rest of the IPL season as he has returned home with an ankle injury

Sidharth Monga18-Apr-2016John Hastings, the Australia and Kolkata Knight Riders allrounder, has been ruled out of the rest of the IPL season as he has returned home with an ankle injury. Hastings hurt himself during the warm-ups before Knight Riders’ match against Mumbai Indians last week. He went on to bowl his quota, and was the most economical bowler from his side as they failed to defend 187.”He bowled through a fair bit of pain,” Simon Katich, Knight Riders’ assistant coach, said. “He had a fair bit of scans after that, and he has flown back to Australia. It’s a shame to see his campaign end prematurely. He had fitted in really well into the team, and he had performed well in a couple of games. Yeah, unfortunately he’ll be doing a lot of rehab instead and working towards getting fit for the West Indies tour for Australia.”Knight Riders are in talks with a replacement, whose name they will disclose only after the IPL technical committee has cleared the paperwork. “We have looked into it,” Katich said. “We have sent off the paperwork. Nothing has been confirmed regarding the player concerned. Hopefully that’ll happen in the next few days. We have sent out the paperwork to BCCI, we’ll just have to see what happens.”Katich said the franchise had always been interested in the replacement player. “It’s someone that we had already looked at in the auction,” he said. “Obviously, we did get John. He [Hastings] was right up there on the priority list when we went for the auctions. We didn’t know if it was going to come through or not so we had a few other names in mind. We’ll find out if it comes through.”

Mitchell Starc will return from his long injury lay-off in the one-day tri-series in the West Indies in June

Brydon Coverdale29-Mar-20162:21

Chappell: Australia have missed Starc

Mitchell Starc will return from his long injury lay-off in the one-day tri-series in the West Indies in June. Australia have named their squad for the series more than two months out from their first match, and along with Starc notable selections include the uncapped batsman Travis Head, as well as Test spinner Nathan Lyon.The tri-series involving West Indies, South Africa and Australia begins on June 3, and it is Australia’s next international engagement now that they have been eliminated from the World Twenty20 in India. The selectors have chosen a 16-man squad to provide extra cover due to the travel time from Australia to the Caribbean in case of injuries.Starc has been named for what will be his first international matches since the Adelaide Test against New Zealand in November, when he suffered an ankle injury that led to surgery and a lengthy recovery. Australia missed Starc’s expertise at the World T20, and as the No.3 on the ICC’s ODI bowling rankings and the Player of the Tournament at last year’s World Cup he will be a valuable addition.Speaking after news of his selection came in, Starc said he was not back to bowling at full tilt yet, but was getting there. “I’ve been in the gym for, I guess, close to three months now. Been bowling for three weeks, I think. So, just progressing through my bowling, not quite off the full run,” he said. “Hopefully I get to bowl to a few batsmen soon, they all seem to be on holidays or just getting back from India… That will probably come in May when we get together in Brisbane, looking forward to that.”It [the ankle] is all fixed, pretty good. Not off the full run yet but there’s no pain there, which is something I have not had for nine months now, which is great.””Mitchell has progressed very well in his rehab and the medical staff are confident he will be fit to play in this series,” national selector Rod Marsh said. “It is extremely pleasing to have a bowler of his calibre back in the side.”Gone from the squad that lost the Chappell-Hadlee Series to New Zealand in February are fast bowlers Scott Boland and Kane Richardson, who have been dropped, and the batsman Shaun Marsh, who was not considered due to the impending birth of his first child. Marsh’s absence opened the door for Head, who made his T20 international debut against India in January.”Travis has put in some match winning performances in all three formats of the game this summer,” Rod Marsh said. “He is an exciting young batsman with a bright future and if he gets his opportunity I have no doubt he will make the most of it.”The selectors also found room for Lyon, who played in the ODIs against India in January but was left out of both the squad for the Chappell-Hadlee Series and the World T20. Lyon and legspinner Adam Zampa are the two frontline spin options in the squad, along with the spinning allrounder Glenn Maxwell.”Nathan has bowled very well in the West Indies in the past and we are predicting we will see some slow turning pitches,” Marsh said. “Adam has impressed us in India during the World T20 and has bowled consistently well, and with confidence, when given his opportunity.”Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has also been chosen for his first ODI series since the tour of England last year. Australia’s first game is against West Indies in Guyana on June 5.Squad Steven Smith (capt), David Warner (vice-capt), George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

Jesse Ryder’s first century in the competition paved the way a 78-run victory for Essex over Hampshire in their NatWest Twenty20 Blast at Chelmsford

ECB/PA26-Jun-2015
ScorecardJesse Ryder struck his first T20 hundred in the NatWest Blast [file picture]•Getty ImagesJesse Ryder’s first century in the competition paved the way a 78-run victory for Essex over Hampshire in their NatWest Twenty20 Blast at Chelmsford.The New Zealander destroyed the visiting attack with an unbeaten 107 from just 55 deliveries, eight of which he smashed for six. The last of those carried him into three figures and he also scored eight fours in an exhibition that earned him a standing ovation as Essex finished on 212 for 5.Insights

Although Hampshire have still been winning matches their seam bowling has been a concern this season. Apart from Fidel Edwards, who is now playing in the CPL, none of their seamers have an economy rate of less than 8.73. In fact other than Yasir Arafat none of them have an economy rate of lower than 9.28. Spinners Danny Briggs and Will Smith have been carrying the attack. It was not until this match that they ran into an opposition batting order who punished the weakness – although Chris Wood did keep his figures intact. With Sean Ervine still out injured Hampshire should consider an emergency signing.

Sharing the limelight with Ryder was Mark Pettini as they put together an opening partnership of 126 in 14 overs. Pettini’s share of that was 74 in 45 balls as he helped himself to three sixes among his dozen boundaries before he was brilliantly caught at deep mid-wicket by a diving Gareth Berg to give spinner Will Smith his only wicket.No other batsman managed to reach double figures but that was of little consolation for Hampshire as Essex collected their sixth success in the competition to move level with Kent at the top of the South Group table.The only visiting bowler to escape the carnage was Chris Wood, his four overs costing 29 runs and earning him the wicket of James Foster.Hampshire began their reply needing to get off to a flying start to mount any sort of challenge but it was not to be.In the first three overs, they lost as many wickets, Reece Topley bowling James Vince and then having Michael Carberry caught on the square leg boundary for eight. In between, David Masters sent back Joe Gatting as Ryan tenDoeschate accepted a catch at deep mid-off.One-time Essex batsman Owais Shah did his best to repair the damage but having struck three fours and a six in making 26 from 20 balls, he was magnificently caught by ten Doeschate at wide mid-on after he dived to his right to pluck the ball an inch or so off the ground.After that, and with the score now 57 for 4, Hampshire were left with the task of trying to bring some sense of respectability to their challenge.When medium-pace man Ravi Bopara came into the attack he soon put Hampshire into even deeper trouble with three wickets in an over, those of Jimmy Adams, Smith and Berg to leave the scoreboard looking a sorry 66for 7.Bopara, who was appearing in his 100th domestic T20 match finished with 3 for 23 while Topley claimed 3 for 25 as Essex ended a sequence of six successive defeats against Hampshire, dismissed for only 134, in this competition

Trent Alexander-Arnold thought he had scored a superb free-kick against Fulham on Sunday but the strike has been chalked up as a Bernd Leno own goal.

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Alexander-Arnold sent brilliant free-kick at goalBall struck the crossbar before hitting LenoGoal not given to Alexander-ArnoldWHAT HAPPENED?

The right-back thought he had scored a genuinely fantastic free-kick, shooting at goal from around 30 yards and seeing it smash against the crossbar and cross the line. The ball then hit Bernd Leno, however, and went into the back of the net.

AdvertisementGettyTHE EXPLANATION

Because the ball struck the crossbar and then hit Leno, the goal has been taken away from Alexander-Arnold, with the goalkeeper's touch proving decisive. As a result, it will not be added to the right-back's haul for this season. For Fantasy Football players, though, the Liverpool man was at least awarded an assist.

DID YOU KNOW?

Alexander-Arnold has been in remarkable form this season and came into Sunday's game on the back of his goal in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City last time out. However, he has been robbed of the prospect of scoring twice in two successive games.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

The right-back will have to stomach the fact that his goal will not count towards his tally. Liverpool are next in action in midweek against Sheffield United.

Combined figures of 5 for 33 from eight overs, bowled by Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, handed Mumbai Indians a place in the IPL playoffs

The Report by Mohammad Isam17-May-2015Lasith Malinga sent Shikhar Dhawan’s off stump flying in the first over•BCCICombined figures of 5 for 33 from eight overs, bowled by Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, handed Mumbai Indians a place in the IPL playoffs. Mumbai ended in second place in the points table behind Chennai Super Kings, after a rousing nine-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.Mumbai finished the match with 6.1 overs to spare to complete a great comeback to the season, which began for them with four consecutive defeats. Sunrisers, though, hardly turned up in their own ground despite having a head start when David Warner called correctly at the toss.Warner’s decision to bat first was a straightforward one given the sheen on the pitch, but it all fell apart in seven deliveries. Sunrisers’ best batsmen this season have been Warner and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, by a distance.Malinga got the ball to get under Dhawan’s bat in the first over, sending him back for just 1. Next delivery, McClenaghan bounded in and got one to hurry into Warner who was caught nowhere playing the pull. The ball took a leading edge and fountained in the air, only to be gobbled up by Kieron Pollard who was coming in from point.Malinga and McClenaghan gave away just 13 runs in the first four overs they bowled together. Eoin Morgan got a boundary off Vinay Kumar in the fifth over before McClenaghan hurried another to the batsman, this time Morgan top-edging to third man for a simple catch. McClenaghan added the wicket of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 17th over to finish with 3 for 16 from his four overs.KL Rahul got a couple of fours, but then it was J Suchith’s turn to stutter the home side further. In the 10th over, he first had Moises Henriques stumped for 11, before removing the out-of-form Naman Ojha for a first-ball duck, the batsman chipping to Rohit Sharma at cover. Rahul fell in the 13th over after he dragged a Harbhajan Singh short delivery on to the stumps for 25. From 61 for 6, there was very little hope remaining for the hosts.Ashish Reddy, who was brought into the side in place of Bipul Sharma, struck the first six of the innings when he clouted Harbhajan over midwicket but he too fell the following over, caught at point. Dale Steyn knocked three fours in his 11-ball unbeaten 19 but it was never going to be enough.Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel found three fours each in the first six overs of the small chase. Parthiv was the aggressor among the pair, adding fours quite regularly. Parthiv, though, survived a stumping chance on 34 when his opposite number Ojha couldn’t gather Karn Sharma’s googly in two tries, leaving Parthiv with little to do but plonk his bat back in the crease in time.The legspinner Karn gave 22 runs in his second over, with Simmons cracking two consecutive sixes over midwicket after Parthiv had scored two fours off the second and third deliveries. Karn eventually took the wicket of Simmons, but by then, the batsman had made 48 off 44 balls with four fours and the two sixes, and with the score at 106. Parthiv remained unbeaten on 51 off 37 balls with the help of nine fours, and quite aptly, struck the winning runs in the 14th over.Simmons and Parthiv added their second hundred-plus opening partnership of the season as Mumbai cruised to set up a clash with the table-toppers Super Kings for the first qualifier in Mumbai on May 19.

Brahim Diaz spoke highly of team-mate Jude Bellingham after netting the winner for Real Madrid against RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

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Diaz scored Real Madrid's winning goalHailed Bellingham as world-classEmulated Bellingham's celebrationWHAT HAPPENED?

The former AC Milan player, who came into the starting lineup in place of the injured Jude Bellingham, turned hero for Real Madrid as he scored the winning goal for his team against RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash.

After netting the all-important goal, Diaz claimed he shares a very close bond with the English midfielder and hailed him as a world-class player.

AdvertisementWHAT BRAHIM DIAZ SAID

Speaking to after the match, Diaz said, "I love [Bellingham]," Díaz told Movistar. "From the first moment, we've got on really well. I'm helping him with his Spanish. He's a world-class player, I enjoy playing with him. Apart from the charisma he has, he's a great person. Despite the absences of Jude, who we missed, and of [Antonio] Rudiger, and all those [players] who are out injured for a long time, we keep showing that we're a great team, that we're Real Madrid."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After scoring in the 48th minute of the match with a brilliant solo effort, the 24-year-old emulated Bellingham's iconic open-arm celebration. The England international took to X to react to the Spaniard's celebration, posting "Oh my god Brahim!!!"

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Los Blancos will now return to La Liga action as they will aim to extend their lead at the top of the table by picking up another three points against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Who can be happy and who can be concerned after Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw?

GettyWinners: Nigeria

The Super Eagles can largely be content with their Group A draw, even if there are a few potential banana skins in there as the West African giants look to pick themselves up off the ground.

Sierra Leone are strong—and Nigeria weren’t able to beat them during the last qualifying campaign—but Guinea-Bissau were dispatched comfortably at the Nations Cup, and shouldn’t spoil the party.

Sao Tome e Principe are one of the continent’s minnows, and are unlikely to pose any problems for the Eagles.

AdvertisementBackpagePix.Losers: Kenya

As one of the weaker sides in Pot Two, everyone in the other pots will have been keen to be pitted against the Harambee Stars, while there are a few sides who Kenya will have wanted to have avoided.

Cameroon—who they’ve been pooled against from Pot One—are one of those sides, with the Indomitable Lions demonstrating their class to eliminate Algeria in the World Cup qualifying.

Namibia and Burundi, like Kenya, were both present at the 2019 Nations Cup, and their squads are full of players who know how to get over the line.

backpagepixWinners: South Africa

Morocco are tough opponents for Bafana Bafana, and they’ll definitely have been one of the sides they’ll be keen to have avoided from Pot One.

However, the presence of Liberia presents South Africa with two winnable fixtures, and the derby with Zimbabwe—even if that complicates matters—gives Hugo Broos a good opportunity to demonstrate the progress he’s overseeing with this talented squad.

Zim were undone by Malawi at the Nations Cup, and Bafana will only have themselves to blame if they can’t reach the Afcon.

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Getty ImagesLosers: Egypt

Top seeds Egypt are of course favourites to reach the Nations Cup from Group D, but the Pharaohs could have had things a little easier than the group they’ve ultimately ended up with.

All of Guinea, Malawi and Ethiopia reached the last Nations Cup, with the Syli Nationale and the Flames both reaching the Last 16.

Egypt must ensure there’s no complacency as they look to progress.

Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa has said that his team is “inspired” to accomplish an “unprecedented feat” of winning three domestic titles in consecutive seasons ahead of their Irani Cup tie in Bangalore against Rest of India

Gaurav Kalra16-Mar-20154:49

‘We aimed to win everything that was possible’ – Uthappa

Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa has said that his team is “inspired” to accomplish an “unprecedented feat” of winning three domestic titles in consecutive seasons ahead of their Irani Cup tie in Bangalore against Rest of India. Karnataka demolished Tamil Nadu in the final to win the Ranji trophy in Mumbai last week, but Uthappa told ESPNcricinfo that the celebrations had been “muted” as the players were focused on continuing their dominance in the domestic circuit.”We know that no team in the world has won three domestic titles back to back and I don’t think any team has done it twice in two years,” he said. “It will be a great feat. We are on course right now for an encore. We just need to win the next one. As a team we do well because we are inspired to play the next level. We want to dominate the scene here with strong performances and that’s what we have done as a team and as individuals as well. In each aspect, in each skill that we’ve performed as batting unit, bowling unit, in different positions, as an allrounder, everyone has done really well for themselves.”Karnataka’s second consecutive Ranji title was their fifth in a row on the domestic circuit, having won the 50-over Vijay Hazare tournament over the last couple of years as well as last season’s Irani Cup. Although the Ranji final was a one-sided affair, Uthappa said defending the title was a “lot more challenging” than winning it last season.”There is a lit bit more pressure but we sensed that as we won all three domestic titles last year and we knew that there would be a lot of naysayers,” he said. “But we took that up as a challenge, we are going to take it one game at a time and we are going to win everything that’s possible. We’ve felt a really good attitude, worked very hard and bearing the fruits of it right now. We played on a lot of green tops this year, it was good for our bowlers, but for the batsmen it was challenging. But we performed really well as a batting unit, we’ve had some stellar performances, so its been a great year.”Uthappa – “Winning the India Test cap is what’s driving me, that’s always driven me. I came back into the game three years ago because I wanted to don the Test cap”•PTI Uthappa was one of the players to put in “stellar performances”, finishing the season as the highest run-getter with 912 at an average of 50.66 along with two centuries. He credits his success to a strong “work ethic” and having “figured out his game a lot more now.””I am sticking to what works for me, not trying to change anything. I just need to keep monitoring my batting, I just need to know what helps me prepare well, what helps me stay in the right mindset. There are a few areas that I am still working on. This season I had a few rough games, where I had four zeroes and still ended up becoming the top scorer. I want to make sure that those things don’t happen again. I want to make every innings I play count.”Although Uthappa briefly earned a recall to the Indian team for a one-day series in Bangladesh last year, he remains on the fringe of the national set-up. Still, he is convinced that if he “continues in the same way,” a recall is on the cards “sooner or later.””Winning the India Test cap is what’s driving me, that’s always driven me. I came back into the game three years ago because I wanted to don the Test cap,” he says. “I think I am getting closer to that dream, I just need to keep working, stacking up the runs and performing. Just lay out all the options, put it all out there and let the selectors take a call.”Once the Irani Cup is completed, Uthappa will have another chance to press his case for a national call-up with the IPL kicking off on April 8. Uthappa was the leading scorer in the tournament last year, making 660 runs at an average of 44, playing a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ second triumph in three years.”I am looking forward to it,” he said. “We have to defend our title there as well, its going to be a lot of fun. We have the team equipped to do that. Hopefully its going to be a fantastic year.”

While Dolphins might have fallen well short of the massive target set by Chennai Super Kings on Monday in Bangalore, the fact that they competed early on in the chase would give them a boost, batsman Cameron Delport has said

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2014While Dolphins might have fallen well short of the massive target of 243 set by Chennai Super Kings on Monday night in Bangalore, the very fact that they competed early on in the chase would give the South African franchise a boost, batsman Cameron Delport has said. Delport, who played a big role in Dolphins’ spirited start, slamming 34 off nine, said the team knew the only way they could possibly chase down 243 was by putting some pressure back on Super Kings and hoping they cracked.”It gives us massive confidence,” Delport told . “Today we played against Chennai Super Kings, who had a lot of Indian national stars and other reputed international cricketers. We know that if we can play well against them – either beat them or even just compete against them – it will help us mature as players. If we can handle these guys, we can definitely handle international cricket.”Super Kings had got to 242 for 6 having hit 16 sixes – eight of which came from Suresh Raina, who muscled his way to 90 off 43. Super Kings had got to 70 by the end of the six-over Powerplay, a Champions League T20 record that stood for just one innings; Dolphins smashed it, with their openers’ brief but blistering cameos getting them past 50 in the third over. That third over belonged to Delport, who hit 6, 4, 4, 2, 4 before playing too early at a Mohit Sharma slower one to be bowled off the final delivery.”We [he and fellow opener Morne van Wyk] knew that the wicket was really good and we wanted to get off to a really good start,” Delport said. “Our game plan was to take the attack to them and look for a couple of early boundaries and put them on the back foot right from the beginning.”We knew that their score was above average and our only chance of getting close was to put pressure on them. If we got boundaries off the first three balls of an over, the bowler would panic and it would be easier for us. We had a chat after the first innings and we said that if we get off to a good start, we had a good chance because we bat all the way down to No. 11. We did get that start but unfortunately the lower-middle order just collapsed there.”Delport said he had expected Mohit to bowl his signature slower ball at him, but still couldn’t quite get his timing right. “I knew he was going to bowl a slower one and I was telling myself to just wait for it. It kind of skidded off and hit the top of leg stump. I knew he was going to bowl it and I can’t believe I missed it.”Given his explosive cameo, Delport could well be on the radar of some IPL franchises, and that suits Delport. “I watch the IPL and the CLT20 every year and I have always wanted to be a part of these tournaments,” he said. “To finally be here in this country playing in these big stadiums is an experience that will help me grow as a cricketer. I want to continue to be part of these tournaments.”