Diego Armando Maradona died last night. For those of you who don't know him, he is regarded as one of the best (if not the best) soccer players of all time. Although there were other great soccer players (like the Brazilian Pele), the Argentine Maradona was unique because he single-handedly led Argentina to World Cup glory TWICE.
For me personally, he played a foundational role in my childhood. By professional soccer standards, Maradona was short and chubby - just like me as a child. Watching him on TV, being the best at what he did, he negated everything society or parents told me. He was a living counterexample that I was going to be just fine.
Odd how, sometimes, someone so far away from you, can feel closer to you than those literally around you.
Later in life Maradona deteriorated into heavy drugs (cocaine) and other vices (prostitution). He died at 60.
When I say single-handedly, you only have to watch one of his most legendary goals to see why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wVho3I0NtU&fbclid=IwAR0gFiJMBS_i-OsAlR77JYCSEVCPzxxwj8MHDGCJhUROgAzFHsD_1k0wgX0
