Born with incredible talent, he had joined the junior club Cebollitas by the age of 10, and had amazed the soccer-crazy nation with his spectacular play while leading his junior team to an unbeaten record of 136 matches and an unprecedented hype for a team at that level. As a child prodigy, Maradona was often a feature as halftime entertainment during first division matches, electrifying the crowds with his many ball tricks, putting on a show which was compared favorably, by both fans and the media, to the matches themselves.
So, it didn't surprise anybody when young Maradona first entered the field in the second half of a match against Talleres, and proceeded to nutmeg an opponent with one of his first touches of the ball. After that first match, he became an undisputed starter and team leader, leading what was a mediocre bottom-of-the-table and often relegated club to not only remain in the top division but contend for the title. He played 166 matches and scored 116 goals for the humble team of La Paternal, with a best finish of second place in the league. In spite of his many later successes, fans of Argentinos Juniors will argue vehemently that they are the ones who got the best play from Diego Maradona.
In February of 1977, national team coach Cesar Menotti called the 16 year old Maradona for his first international match, a friendly against Hungary at Boca Juniors stadium. Sitting on the bench, Diego watched as Argentina built a 5-1 lead. But the crowd could only think of him, constantly chanting his name, pleading for his inclusion into the game. Twenty five minutes from the end Menotti gave in, and he amazingly took control of the match, coolly maneuvering through the Hungarian defense like a veteran and setting up several scoring chances. However, from the reaction of the crowd Menotti realized the pressure he'd be under to play Maradona, and since he'd already chosen his conductor in Mario Kempes, he decided to leave Maradona out of the squad which went on to win the World Cup in 1978. It is said that when Maradona found out that he was left out of the team, he cried uncontrollably for hours. It was small consolation for him that Menotti called him for the junior squad, and he went on to play brilliantly and win the youth cup for Argentina in 1979.
In 1981, Maradona was transfered for a record fee to Boca Juniors, one of the two historic 'big' clubs of Buenos Aires. At the time Boca was struggling and had not won a title in over four years. Although Boca had finished the previous season near the bottom, the expectation was that with Maradona's addition, along with a new coach in former Boca star Silvio Marzolini, the team was preordained to win the title. Maradona didn't dissapoint. Not only he led Boca to the Argentine championship, his first at the first division level, but he saved his best effort for the most important match, the 'superclasico' against archrival River Plate.
Boca vs River, April 10, 1981. That was the night which defined Diego Maradona forever as an idol and symbol of Boca Juniors. River had built an impressive team, led by several members of the 1978 world champions. But on that night, Maradona established himself as the superior player in Argentina. Boca trashed River 3-0, with Maradona scoring all three goals. One of them was perhaps the most brilliant goal of his career. Maradona took the ball from inside his own half and kept it close to his feet while effortlessly leaving his opponents, including WC stars Gallego, Pasarella and Tarantini, in his wake. He came face to face with legendary goalkeeper Fillol and dribbled around him. He needed one last faint, as Tarantini had managed to sneak behind the goalkeeper in a last defensive effort. And he left the hapless Tarantini spread-eagled at the goal line as he side-stepped one last time to walk the ball into the net. The crowd was sent into a frenzy, and the sheer emotion of the moment caused coach Silvio Marzolini to have a heart attack.
Marzolini survived and Boca won the title after a brilliant campaign. From midfield, Maradona continued to amaze. He led the team not only as a playmaker but as the top goalscorer. However, not all was good news. In the midst of an economic crisis, Boca was unable to keep the financial commitments it had made for Maradona, and the team was embroiled in lawsuits and financial troubles. Maradona was also beggining to show some strain and signs of physical and mental fatigue. And how could it have been otherwise? By the age of 20 he had already played over 200 first division matches, in addition to internationals and friendlies. He had scored nearly 140 goals. Of course, the scoring figure underestimates his contributions to the game, as a midfield general, creative force and generator of scoring chances for his teammates, as anybody who has watched him play can testify.
