The original series reveals how one of the greatest footballers ever lived life king-size in a career that was never short of headlines…
Amazon Prime Video released an original series on the life of former Argentine superstar Diego Armando Maradona, titled ‘Maradona: Blessed Dream’ on Friday. The 10-episode series has been originally shot in Spanish but will be available in English, Hindi,Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali for the Indian audience.
The 1986 World Cup winner, often considered one of the greatest footballers ever, is an extremely popular figure across the world and India is no exception. The legend himself has visited the country on multiple occasions and each time, he has received rousing welcomes.
On field, his wizardry with the ball at his feet set him on a pedestal higher than the rest. Most memorably, he single-handedly destroyed England’s defence in the quarterfinal of the 1986 World Cup to score a goal which was later voted as FIFA’s ‘Goal of the Century’.
However, Maradona is also synonymous with controversies. In the same match, the 1986 World Cup encounter against England, he punched a floated cross with his hand, past goalkeeper Peter Shilton which is famously known as the ‘Hand of God’ goal. After the game, in which Argentina won 2-1, Maradona made a tongue-in-cheek comment and said that goal was “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
As much as he enjoyed the ball at his feet, he equally cherished life beyond the pitch. From his teens, he made headlines in sports columns for his heroics on the pitch, as well as in tabloids for his flamboyant lifestyle off it. Although he married long-time fiancee Claudia Villafane in 1989, he was involved with other women. It was after many years, that Maradona acknowledged that he was the biological father of Diego Sinagra which he had vehemently refused during the court proceedings in Naples in the 1990s.
In Maradona: Blessed Dream, the show focuses on the man behind the scenes; his rise from the streets of Villa Fiorito, the ways of his life while at the acme of his career in Napoli and Barcelona, and the doom that follows. Directed by Alejandro Aimetta, the show swings between Maradona’s troubled life off the pitch and his geniuses on the green grass.
It was no secret that Maradona was short-tempered. Apart from his squabbles on the ground, he has been involved in some notorious incidents which paint him as the ‘bad boy’ of football. In 1994, he was sentenced to prison for 2 years and 10 months as he shot at journalists with an air rifle for ‘invading his piracy’. He even kicked a fan for constantly raising a poster which was interrupting him from perfecting a shot.
The legend hardly changed his ways even in the twilight of his life. During Argentina’s match against Nigeria in the 2018 World Cup, he was seen celebrating Marcus Rojo’s goal by showing expletive gestures towards the camera. His health issues were no secret, with Maradona often flitting between hospitals.
It is this facet of one of the most famous men the game of football has ever seen that Amazon Prime Video’s series explores. A must-watch for every fan of the beautiful game, ‘Maradona: Blessed Dream’ tries to encapsulate the legend’s life in its truest sense by revealing incidents from his life that have hitherto been unknown.
Five of the 10 episodes have been released, chronicling his career till an acrimonious exit from Barcelona in 1984. New episodes of the remaining five will release each Friday. Watch the show only on Amazon Prime Video. Click here.
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