Diego Maradona, one of the greatest Argentine athletes who led his nation to victory in the World Cup in 1986, passed away Wednesday at age of 60. In his wild life, the magnetic personality was often seen at Argentina’s Davis Cup matches and forged a close friendship with fellow sporting legend Juan Martin del Potro.
Leading Argentine sports journalist Sebastian Torok wrote of the connection and relationship between Maradona and del Potro in his new book “Juan Martin del Potro: The Gentle Giant,” published by New Chapter Press, for sale and download here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559920/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_V5UVFbM15A2ZJ?_x_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
The excerpt from the book the details the relationship, from the chapter called “Word from the Ten” below:
In the 1980s, the high point of joy for sports fans in Argentina was the World Cup victory by the light blue and white. It was the peak moment for the “No. 1 fan” in the stands cheering for Argentina in the Davis Cup final in Zagreb. Maradona is the name forever linked to the day June 29, 1986, where in Aztec Stadium in Mexico City he dazzled the world and achieved his dream that day and gave Argentina its second World Cup title. Whimsically that day of the final against West Germany did not correspond with his most notable performance of that World Cup campaign. That came against England in the quarterfinals where he scored two famous goals, including the famous “Hand of God” goal.
Passionate about tennis and sometimes controversial, Maradona inevitably is there each time Argentina plays in a big Davis Cup match and has privileged access to the privacy of del Potro in those moments of high concentration where only a few can command his attention.
The journeys of the Argentina Davis Cup team took Maradona to the Zagreb Arena in anticipation that something big could happen in the Davis Cup Final against Croatia. He was there with a broken heart hearing the news of the death of Fidel Castro, the Cuban leader whom he created a relationship with based on mutual admiration.
“When I heard the news it was like receiving a serve of del Potro in the chest,” said Maradona. When he was asked for an impression on del Potro for this book, the man with did the magic with his left hand and the No. 10 on his back preferred to turn it into a letter, entitled “Del Potro was Maradona against the English.”
“You could say that Martin, because I call him Martin, won my heart the day he won the Davis Cup. But no, man, no… That day he won the heart of all the Argentinians. He won mine when my loved parents passed away, Mrs. Tota and Don Diego, and he was there, present, to accompany me.
“How was I not going to accompany him to Croatia? I would go to the end of the world to cheer for him! For him and the entire Argentinian team. It was the bravest stop, the one to try and win the Davis Cup for the first time in history, as a visitor, against all odds… With everything against us is how I like it! That’s why I wanted to be there…
“Many people called me a jinx. Others said I just wanted the visibility and be the center of attention, but the only thing I wanted was to cheer, for all the Argentinians to be supporting them, behind him. The only thing I cared about was being in the grandstands. I didn’t even go to the hotel, until they called me. The skinny guy, who is longer than the Eiffel Tower, laughed when he saw me arrive. A phenomenon.
“In that final match, Delpo gave us a lesson to all the athletes and all the Argentinians: If we fight, we can do it. He knew better than anyone that it was a rough spot, but not impossible. What he did was something crazy…Being in a place like this, in a moment like this, it’s touching the sky with your hands. I lived that in Mexico in 1986. Martin lived it in Croatia.
“The skinny guy, that day, reached the hearts of the Argentinians, without a doubt. It was like a boiler, I swear. That’s how the Davis Cup matches are: lots of heat, lots of battles, adrenaline and screams… A steaming hot boiler. And del Potro turned it off with two big eggs like the rock of Tandil. He had to take and to bring everyone, he had a great responsibility. He was the one who had to take the flag and did it the best way. He beat everyone with hammers. Let it be very clear to all Argentinians, what Delpo was throwing weren’t balls, they were hammers! He wanted to destroy the ball each time he hit it. And I swear I was hitting with him.
“That’s why, when he invited me to go down to the locker room, when they were already champions and he told me to choose whatever I wanted to take back home as a gift, I choose the racket, because that racket was the weapon he used to win, but I also asked to kiss his hand. Because that hand made us lift the Cup.
“The skinny guy, Martin, Delpo, call him what you want, became a great master that we needed for a long time. He was Maradona against the English. That’s why I am going to be grateful for the rest of my life. For making me, making us, so very very happy. And to remember me when I needed it the most.”
