Four years after lifting the World Cup in Mexico, Diego Maradona stood on Italian soil and cried.
The 1990 World Cup Final against West Germany at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome was decided by one goal, a penalty from Andreas Brehme, and the penalty itself was controversial. Argentina lost 1-0. As the German players celebrated their third World Cup, the cameras moved to Maradona. The man who had carried Argentina through the tournament was in tears.
How Maradona's 1990 unravelled
The final was the end of a hard month:
- He had played through serious pain, carrying several injuries
- Italian supporters booed him during the Argentine anthem before the match
- The final itself was a brutal anti-climax, settled by a disputed penalty
None of this made the tears any easier to watch. The best player on earth, beaten and crying on the biggest stage in the game.
Why the image lasts
The picture of Maradona weeping became one of the best-known photographs of his career, and its power lies in the contrast with 1986. In Mexico he had lifted the trophy and been hailed as the greatest player alive. In Rome he was on the turf of the Olympic Stadium with his head in his hands.
That is the cruel side of the World Cup. One tournament can make a player seem untouchable, and the next reminds everyone that he is human after all. Maradona felt both, four years apart.
Tomorrow: number 22.
