The Hand of God: The Life of Diego Maradona

Jimmy Burns has written a book that speaks to the trials and tribulations of being the world's best player in the world's most popular sport. The book traces Maradona's history as well as the man's impact on the game and the people for whom and with whom he played. Anyone who has had the chance to see the genius of Maradona on the field must take the opportunity to find out the social, cultural, psychological, physical, and mental context within which he played. Readers will gain greater insight into what it means to be an icon for the entire world.

People become attached to a player and don't want to admit that it is possible that someone greater must come along. When Pele played the game it was slower and there was nowhere near the sophistication in the defenses that you see today( look at France 98!). If you simply watch film of Pele and then watch film of Maradonna you will see who is the true God of soccer. This book captures the life of the Greatest soccer player the world has yet to see.

I have nothing but admiration for Jimmy Burns: the Financial Times correspondent, and his book on the Argentine legend. This book catalogs the journey of the Argentinian, who grew up in the slums around Buenos Aires and catapulted to the very pinnacle of the football world. But then he fell and is yet to rise from the ashes of shame and disrepute. What is certain is this: Maradona was one of the greatest. But his friends and the price of fame brought him down. One is left clutchng straws of disappointment and pain at the end of the book. But at heart he was a street urchin and did not have the grace of the great Brazilian: Pele. Apart from the story of Maradona, one gets a generous glimpse into the flagship of Catalan nationalism: Football Club Barcelona. Also the appeal of Boca Juniors to the economically poor Maradona. Boca es Gardel. Very good book, ranks on par with Crick's biography of George Orwell. [email protected]

As a soccer fanatic and with out knowing all those things that I"m going to find out about Maradona's life in this book.I can still asure you that Maradona was and will be atleast for the next 10 years the best soccer player ever seen.With all the admiration and respect that I have for Pele.the reality indecates that during the golden years of Pele's carier the intensity and speed of the game was much slower than the game in the 80"s and 90's.Also tactically the game is much more difficult know days.Please focus more on Maradona's carier inside the field than on his personal life.VIVA MEXICO AND THE U.S!!!!

Maradona is the best there ever was, in his prime years, he was literally unstoppable. Those who say Pele was better are very wrong. Pele was a great player, no doubt, but those were different times, soccer was much easier back then, it wasnt as complicated as it was on Maradona's years, Pele just got the ball and scored, Maradona did much more than that, he was/is a genious on the field, setting up plays and finishing them as well. And to the English who still hate him for beating England on the 86 world cup thanks to the "hand of God", I think you're very jealous because England has never and will never have a player like Maradona..England, Argentina will always be your daddy- some argentinian guy.