Today, every moment of footballing action is covered from a multitude of angles in high-definition video. That wasn’t always the case, of course, meaning that many moments from the careers of great players of the past exist only in their memories, and the memories of those who saw them live. While not every one of Diego Maradona’s 259 career goals is available to watch on film, we are fortunate enough to be able to rewatch many of the career highlights of the charismatic Argentine superstar. As the world continues to mourn the passing of one of the greatest footballers of all-time, why not celebrate the life of Diego by watching one of the many documentaries starring soccer’s Golden Boy.
We have picked out five of the greatest Diego Maradona documentaries for you to enjoy.
1.Hero: The Official Film of the 1986 World Cup
Where better to start than the tournament which cemented Maradona’s legendary status forever? ‘Hero’ is aptly titled, since there is no question that Diego is the star of this particular show. Narrated by Oscar-winner Michael Caine, the movie takes us through one of the best World Cups in recent memory, which was of course to prove successful for Argentina and their diminutive number ten.
Where to watch: YouTube & Amazon.
2. Diego Maradona
Director Asif Kapadia is responsible for the tremendous biographical documentaries ‘Senna’ and ‘Amy’ – about racing driver Ayrton Senna and singer Amy Winehouse – the latter of which won an Oscar for best documentary. Turning his lens to Diego Maradona, the director focuses mainly on the turbulent years which the Argentine spent in Napoli. The documentary provides a startling insight into the pressures imposed upon the boy from the barrios, and the amount of footage made available to Kapadia makes for an engrossing watch.
Where to watch: Amazon & Apple.
3. Maradona in Mexico
This 7-part documentary series from Netflix takes a look at Maradona’s latter-day Mexican adventures, when he took over as coach of second-division club Dorados de Sinaloa. This obscure club made headlines around the globe when they managed to lure the Argentine superstar to the city of Culiacan in northwestern Mexico. We didn’t know it at the time, but this was to be Diego’s last official role in professional football. The series follows the highs and lows of a turbulent year, with ‘Maradona’s magnetism and mania’ (The Guardian) on full eye-popping display.
Where to watch: Netflix.
4. Loving Maradona
This documentary takes us through the life of Maradona, in Diego’s own words. Clearly a labour of love by director Javier Martin Vazquez, this 2007 film still provides some revealing images including Maradona’s time in Cuba as well as some incredible on-pitch highlights.
Where to watch: Amazon
5. Maradona by Kusturica
Emir Kusturica is an award-winning film-maker, another drawn towards the Argentine superstar like a moth to a flame. This is an homage to late-period Diego, and a documentary where the footballer shares centre-stage with the director. Perhaps not the greatest film on our list, but fans of Maradona will still find plenty to enjoy here.
Where to watch: YouTube & Amazon.