FCBARCELONA.CAT

04.06.2007 11:16

25 years since Maradona signed for Barça

Aleix Santacana

On Friday 4th June 1982 a young Diego Armando Maradona signed for Fútbol Club Barcelona.

The Argentine legend was just 21 years old but his transfer fee of 1.200 million pesetas (about 10m US dollars in today’s money) was the highest fee paid in world football up to that date.

Four years in the making

Barça had been keeping tabs on Maradona since 1978 but the ruling military dictatorship and the Argentine Footballers’ Association were determined to hang on to a player regarded as a national treasure and didn’t want to hear of any transfer abroad until at least the 1982 Word Cup.

A four-way agreement

After four years of never-ending negotiations, Barça managed an agreement with Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, the Argentine Footballers’ Association and Maradona’s agent Jorge Cysterszpiller, and Maradona became a Barça player.

Two eventful seasons

Maradona signed a six-year deal with Barça but only stayed for two years. He was diagnosed with hepatitis in his first season and was sidelined for three months. In his second season, he was also out for three months due to a serious ankle injury he suffered as a result of particularly tough tackle by Bilbao defender Goikoetxea in match day four.

Cup and League Cup medals

Maradona played 62 competitive games for Barça and scored 36 goals. He won a Cup winner’s medal in 1983, against Real Madrid, and the first league Cup, also against Real Madrid.

Transfer to Napoli

After much haggling, Maradona left Barca and signed for Napoli for 1,300 million pesetas, slightly more than Barça had paid two years earlier. One of his last appearances was in the Spanish Cup final against Athletic Club Bilbao (1-0 to Bilbao).