Diego Maradona and his strange connection with Mexico in the last World Cup draws

On the eve of a new draw to define the group stage of the World Cup, one of the names that will be missed at the gala is Diego Armando Maradona, the historical Argentine footballer who died in November 2020 and who during the last decade was one of the main guests by FIFA to different galas.

The draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was one of the last events where he was the protagonist and in which, in a curious way, it was the one who had to take the ball out of Mexico to assign it to group F, an action that linked him again to the Aztec territory.

Just a year earlier, El Diego was present in another World Cup draw and was also fortunate to reveal the Mexican National Team, although this time it was the Under 20 World Cup, where the Tri was placed in group B, also alongside Germany, but with Venezuela and Vanuatu as companions.

In the two World Cup editions the Tricolor was measured against the Teutona team and in both editions it advanced as second place in the group, so the Hand of God did not bode badly for the Aztec teams.

Although these last two matches will no longer be able to have a reissue, Maradona's relationship with Mexico does not rest here, as his international legacy is framed with his world championship in 1986, when he crowned Argentina on the pitch of the Azteca Stadium.

In addition, prior to his death, the streaming service Netflix produced a series in which his relationship with Mexico was again confirmed, although this time to enter his stage with coach of the Dorados de Sinaloa, a second division team he was very close to leading the first division.

Diego Maradona consolidated himself as a character very close to Mexico, as the historic sporting success he achieved in 1986 also involved two moments remembered by the world of football: The Hand of God and The Goal of the Century, both in an emblematic match and with a historical background against England, corresponding to the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Because the three most important events he had with Albiceleste took place in the Colossus of Santa Úrsula, on the day of his death the building was visited by several of his compatriots living in Mexico, with the aim of honoring the moments of joy that Diego gave them.

Even Estadio Azteca had a detail in memory of the South American crack, as it placed a funeral crown in the goal where it marked the historic score with his hand, with a legend in the middle that read “You go hand in hand with God”.

In addition, on the outskirts of the Colossus lies a plaque commemorating the goal he scored against England, in which he started from the middle of the court and beat up to seven rivals, so since then the Mexican organization acknowledged the event that took place on June 23, 1986.

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