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hw hx hy hz ia ib ic id ie if ig cq du"><em class="ih">Maradona’s role in my relationship with dad</em></h2><div><div class="speechify-ignore ab cp"><div class="speechify-ignore bh l"><div class="ii ij ik il im ab"><div><div class="ab in"><div><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false"><a rel="noopener follow" href="/@neilkafka100?source=post_page---byline--78fd76d1bdb4---------------------------------------"><div class="l io ip by iq ir"><div class="l fj"><img alt="Neil Kafka" class="l fd by dd de cx" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:88:88/1*FtGG3udMEMguycL6J-dJDA.jpeg" width="44" height="44" loading="lazy" data-testid="authorPhoto"/><div class="is by l dd de fs n it ft"></div></div></div></a></div></div><div class="iu ab fj"><div><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false"><a href="https://medium.com/illumination?source=post_page---byline--78fd76d1bdb4---------------------------------------" rel="noopener follow"><div class="l iv iw by iq ix"><div class="l fj"><img alt="ILLUMINATION" 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href="https://unsplash.com/@jacktthunter?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Jack Hunter</a> on <a class="af oa" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-gray-crew-neck-t-shirt-Ph0Aa13k5-c?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="a6cd" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">“Unfortunately, the clock is ticking, the hours are going by. The past increases, the future recedes. Possibilities decreasing, regrets mounting.”</em></strong></p><p id="7e71" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv">~ <em class="ox">Haruki Murakami</em>, </strong><a class="af oa" href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2753173" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Dance Dance Dance</em></strong></a></p><p id="2f65" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">The year 2020 had been a year of losses. Loss of nature during the devastating Australian bush-fire (although it started in late 2019), loss of millions due to the novel SARS-CoV2 (Covid19) pandemic, loss of economic growth and livelihood for some (millions), and then the loss of icons like <strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Irrfan, Kobe Bryant, Sushant Singh Rajput, Chadwick Boseman, SP Balasubramanium, Max Von Sydow, Sean Connery, </em></strong>and finally<strong class="od gv"><em class="ox"> Soumitro Chatterjee </em></strong>and<strong class="od gv"><em class="ox"> Diego Maradona. </em></strong>The last of these two losses had occurred recently, within a span of 10 days- and like a personal loss, a pain resonated in me. A part of my heart and soul seemed to have bid adieu along with them.</p><p id="6075" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">***</p><p id="8c7b" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Maradona- a family matter!</em></strong></p><p id="bb98" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I have had a somewhat complicated yet simple relationship with my father. Born in the early 90s in a nuclear family and with both parents working, I never had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my parents during childhood. Then I was thrust into a hostel life (partly by choice and rest by fate), thereby further delimiting my time at home. During vacations, when my parents and I had some time together, I always spent the lion’s share of that with my mother- leaving my father visibly irate or sulking silently.</p><p id="48d3" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">His turn used to come whenever the family discussion meandered into topics of football (soccer), films or literature. With my father, I shared a passion for the game; enjoyed being a critique of contemporary films; read out poems of Rabindranath or Jibanananda in unison. We connected over football through Maradona, Cruyff, Zidane; marvelled at films created by Ray, Spielberg; savoured language (as <strong class="od gv">John Keating</strong> had iterated ‘<em class="ox">sucked the marrow of life</em>’) through Rabindranath, Bankim, Manik.</p><p id="eab8" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Let it be known here that my father was a gifted footballer in his youth- he had his University Blues at both Viswa Bharati University and later at Benaras Hindu University (BHU), captaining the side on several occasions in his BHU days. Though my intention is to not blow my own trumpet, I was no slouch either on a football field; but my father’s tangible achievements in football outshone mine and we always had a friendly banter about that. An extension of that banter was fuelled by my support of <em class="ox">Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, </em>a team that was graced by<em class="ox"> Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Nistelrooy, Keane, Rooney;</em> and my father rooting for an Arsenal side, managed by the venerated <em class="ox">Arsene Wenger </em>and boosted by the likes of <em class="ox">Henry, Vieira, Fabregas, Pires, Bergkamp</em>. However, these were all put aside when the quadrennial FIFA World Cup came around; we both put on our ‘white and blue’ Albiceleste stripes and supported the Argentine National Team. And the Argentine National Team is almost synonymous with the name- <strong class="od gv">Diego Armando Maradona.</strong></p><p id="e4ef" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">A polarizing and colourful figure, his legacy and influence were not confined within the world of football, but disseminated in various spheres of modern era.</p><p id="c24e" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">***</p><p id="028e" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">The mystic marvellous Maradona</em></strong></p><p id="64ff" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">My father had often reminisced that in the 1970s, Bengalis were all for Brazil and their “<strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Jogo Bonito</em></strong>” (playing beautiful). During the FIFA World Cups, the neighbourhoods were all clad with gold and green (the colour of the Brazilian National Flag as well as their football kit) and <em class="ox">addas</em> (leisurely discussions seen in Bengali <em class="ox">paras</em>) at the neighbourhood tea-stalls were all about the contemporary Gods of football- <em class="ox">Pele, Garrincha, Tostao, Rivelino, Jairzinho, Gerson, Alberto</em>. Football for Bengalis was summarized as- ‘Brazil or nothing’. When that fabled Brazil team had won the Jules Rimet Trophy for an unprecedented third time (in 1970) and thereby winning it indefinitely, a carnival of emotion and joy erupted in Kolkata (<em class="ox">then Calcutta</em>)- perhaps justifying her <strong class="od gv">“City of Joy” </strong>entitlement <em class="ox">(a moniker bestowed on her by the French author </em><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Dominique Lapierre</em></strong><em class="ox"> much later in 1985)</em>. The next two world cups were less engaging- due to the “<strong class="od gv">Mukti Judhdho</strong>” (<em class="ox">Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971</em>) and its repercussions- several more families losing their land and loved ones, uncertain immigration and widespread political and social tensions.</p><p id="78fb" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Then arrived the 1982 FIFA World Cup- things had settled down in the past ten years. But a change of loyalty was tangible among a certain sector of the Brazilian fans- Brazil’s neighbouring country Argentina had put on some striking displays and a young lad with curly hair, by the name of <em class="ox">Diego Maradona</em> was at the centre of those performances. On top of that, Argentina were the reigning champions; the 1978 FIFA World Cup was won by Argentina — the Calcutta-born Brazilian loyalists besmirching the win as an unfair one <em class="ox">(allegations had been made against the Argentine army rule, led by </em><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Videla</em></strong><em class="ox"> and </em><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Massera</em></strong><em class="ox"> who had pressurized the opponents into losing)</em>. Nevertheless, a change was inevitable and the loyal Brazilian fan base soon got divided into two- the veteran camp still rooting for Brazil, and the newer generation taking a gamble and supporting the Argentines. My father was also taken aback by this lad Maradona and his mazy dribbles, his immaculate ball control, his iron will and grit- never going down even under ruthless opposition challenges, and he silently got indoctrinated into the ‘Maradona and Argentina club’. However, heartbreak ensued- Argentina crashed out early with Maradona seeing a red card for a cynical kick to one of the Brazilian players. Brazilian fans mocked and harangued their Argentine counterparts, but deep down they felt relieved- their idol, the king of football- Pele’s place was threatened by this lad- even when Argentina lost. The 22-year-old Maradona, battered and bruised, could not win the World Cup, but he had won the hearts of millions, including that of my father.</p><p id="8522" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">My father’s first impression- “Maradona was an enigma!”</p><p id="c1d7" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">A new hero emerged in the Bengali neighbourhoods- graffiti had a new icon at their centre.</p><p id="7965" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Four years went by and the FIFA World Cup came around- Mexico playing the host in 1986. Although he got spared from the blushes of supporting Argentina (because of his less-publicised switch to the Argentine camp), this time around my father openly proclaimed his admiration for Argentina- Maradona’s picture displaced that of Pele on the wall of my grandfather’s house. In between, a lot had happened in Maradona’s career- he became the most expensive signing in world football, joining FC Barcelona and then in 1984, he joined Napoli and almost single-handedly turned a club of South Italy into a title contender. However, that was the age without the internet- world news was not dominated by sporting events (unless it was the Olympics) — the Bengalis were impervious to all these feathers in Maradona’s cap.</p><p id="1eab" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">The Mexico FIFA World Cup 1986 became famous for a plethora of events- the rhythmic and synchronised swaying of the crowd (the advent of the <em class="ox">“Mexican Wave”</em>), the capacity crowd of more than a hundred thousand in the fabled <strong class="od gv">Aztec Stadium</strong>, the controversial Jalapeno mascot <em class="ox">Pique</em>, the flair of legends like <em class="ox">Platini, Socrates, Zico, Valdano.</em> But all were over-shadowed by the flair, prowess and magic of Maradona- this was, and remains the only World Cup which is unanimously considered to be won almost single-handedly by a footballer. Coincidentally, this was the first World Cup that was entirely being telecasted live in India- so the wizardry of Maradona was there for all to witness. Seldom had a player mesmerized as he did- his unworldly goal against England in the semis, dribbling past six players and leaving them lying on the field bamboozled (and in awe) — was a testament to his audacity and adeptness. Even his infamous goal against England became the stuff of folklore- when one wins over the people, a temerarious foul play gets dubbed as the <em class="ox">“Hand of the God”.</em></p><p id="2d3e" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">The prince of football transformed into the God of football for the Bengalis.</p><p id="7636" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">***</p><p id="58b9" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Messi, Maradona (and me)</em></strong></p><p id="3fec" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><em class="ox">“Oh! Brilliant skill from Lionel Messi…surging forward with real menace here…brilliant from Messi… Oooh, what a goal…what a goal that is!</em></p><p id="eb88" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><em class="ox">The whole of this ground stands and applauds the 19-year-old…”</em></p><p id="a727" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv">-Kevin Keating’s </strong>words on Messi’s wonder goal against Getafe (2007)</p><p id="ef77" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I was browsing through the channels during my summer vacation (2008) when a near-supernatural goal, scored by Lionel Messi took me captive. I was mesmerised- how could a football stick to a player’s foot like that! It almost defied science.</p><p id="22bc" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I hurriedly nudged my father- “<em class="ox">Baba, goal ta dyakho!” (Dad, watch the goal!)</em></p><p id="07be" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">My father, sitting beside me with the morning gazette held up, peeked. After a minute, he exclaimed- “This is exactly a photocopy of Maradona’s goal!” and then went back to his newspaper. I had expected a bit more reaction- but watching the goal again was the need of the hour than eliciting more superlatives about Messi from my father. I ran to my computer and watched and re-watched the video of the goal on YouTube, every view filling me with unimaginable joy and pride. During that time, I had been rooting for Lionel Messi with all my gusto and witnessing him weaving magic on the football field was a satisfying ritual for me.</p><p id="5a11" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">My father and I first got to know about Messi while watching a documentary on Discovery Channel in 2005; it was about the next generation of stars to look out for in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. A short skinny kid, running at the defenders with sheer pace- but the ball sticking to his left foot as if glued. My father obviously saw shades of Maradona in Messi, but was cautiously optimistic since a lot of talented Argentines got the moniker of the next Maradona without living up to it.</p><p id="dc35" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Needless to say, I started following every match of Messi from that day onwards, with my father later joking that I had discovered (as in how a football scout discovers a young prodigy) Messi and deserved full credit (when Messi established himself as one of the greatest footballers ever as Barcelona won a record six titles in 2009). Messi, surrounded by <em class="ox">Eto’o, Xavi, Henry, Iniesta, Villa</em> and under the tutelage of <em class="ox">Guardiola,</em> had produced some dazzling football at Barcelona and steam-rolled through any opposition on their path to glory, winning the prestigious European Champions League in 2009 and 2011. Dominating the era of 2009–2012 with their skilful ‘tiki-taka’ football, that Barcelona team was put among the pantheon of greats and is still regarded as one of the best football teams to grace the game, along with <em class="ox">Cruyff’s Ajax</em> and <em class="ox">Sacchi’s Milan</em>. Even Maradona put forward words of encouragement- “I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi”- in the words of <em class="ox">H. Bloom</em>,” <em class="ox">Greatness recognises greatness</em>.”</p><p id="0c22" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">[But enough about Messi and Barcelona- this memoir has only one hero- Maradona.]</p><p id="166d" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">In 2009, Messi was at the peak of his powers and perched on the mountain-top of eternal glory at club football, but his international football scene was a bit bleak. Argentina was struggling to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and then the unexpected happened- entered El Diego as the Argentine manager.</p><p id="6750" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><em class="ox">Desperate times call for desperate measures, and when football teams reach crisis points, logic is often thrown out of the window.</em></p><p id="5a61" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Stuttering in qualification for the 2010 World Cup, the Argentinian FA turned to one Diego Armando Maradona to lead the nation once more to glory. Maradona’s previous experience as a manager had come over a decade earlier with shambolic, brief spells in charge of Mandiyú de Corrientes and Racing Club. In the intervening years he had suffered from a myriad of health issues, almost dying due to a heart problem in 2004. In 2007, he was hospitalised again and entered another period of rehab. A year later, he was the Argentina National Football Team manager.</p><p id="95c3" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Blind faith may never be the best strategy in football, but every Albiceleste hoped Maradona would galvanise a talented yet dysfunctional squad. A mixed bag of results, experimentation with the squad and Martin Palermo’s 94th-minute winner ensured Argentina’s qualification in the 2010 World Cup, but these did little to convince both my father and me, that Argentina could surmount challenges of teams like Germany, Spain, Brazil and win the World Cup. Maradona, now synonymous with madness and unbridled emotions as the coach, flung himself through the air to belly-slide across the soaking turf at El Monumental in celebration. His reign of madness was only just beginning.</p><p id="c7fc" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Days passed and the World Cup (hosted in South Africa) began. Surprisingly in the group stages: Argentina actually looked good. Nigeria, South Korea and Greece were all dispatched with ease, and only one goal was conceded in the process. Less surprisingly, Maradona allowed himself to get involved in spats along the way with some of his favourite sparring partners: Pele, Michel Platini, Claudio Gentile, FIFA and the media.</p><p id="3031" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">A 3–1 victory against Mexico led the world to consider Argentina as a serious contender, after which Maradona, reminding all of his World Cup triumph in 1986, said: <em class="ox">“All the experiences of my life, today I gave them to my players with all my soul and heart. I said to the lads, ‘That’s how it was for me.’” </em>However, that victory set up a quarter-final clash with Germany, who had eliminated Argentina on penalties at the previous tournament (and in the process, caused me some teary moments of agony and some sleepless nights). Despite the illustrious opposition, Maradona’s bravado showed no sign of dampening.</p><p id="9d0a" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">However, emotions could take one thus far. Germany dismantled Argentina 4–0. Within three minutes, Thomas Muller had put Germany ahead, and Argentina only just made it to half-time trailing by a solitary goal. In the second half, Germany landed not one, not two, but three sucker punches of their own on the counterattack- the difference between a well-drilled team and a group of eleven talented but disarrayed players was there for all to witness. The defeat sent Argentina back home and left a country analyzing the failings of a tournament which ended with Messi having failed to score a single goal. Maradona still put up a brave face, but deep down- I felt a tinge of displeasure and anger at him for not shouldering the blame and leaving Messi to the censure and derision of the footballing world.</p><p id="26b3" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Maradona submitted his resignation shortly afterwards and slowly drifted away from the footballing world.</p><p id="438a" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">***</p><p id="074b" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">Maradona- a Greek God?</em></strong></p><p id="b893" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">As ever in the life of Diego Armando Maradona, madness and limelight were never too far from the horizon. An embodiment of emotions, a rags to riches fairy-tale, a fierce rebel and an iconic camaraderie with Fidel Castro, Maradona had outspoken views on various matters of the world and society. Adding to these, a serious addiction to intoxication and profligacy, Maradona was never out of the headlines. A series of rehabs, hospitalizations, lively appearances at the 2018 World Cup and insignificant coaching endeavours in Dubai- everything surrounding Diego was fodder for the media and the paparazzi.</p><p id="19e0" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Ironically, Maradona suffering from a hematoma in November 2020 never made the news (partially because of the ongoing Covid pandemic). On 25th November, Maradona passed away after suffering a myocardial infarction. Tributes poured in from all nooks and corners of the world- an already disarrayed world dealt another blow. Argentina bid farewell to one of her beloved sons amidst tears; heartbroken <strong class="od gv">River Plate</strong> and <strong class="od gv">Boca Junior</strong> fans were seen mourning together, crying on the streets of Beunos Aires- El Diego unifying the fiercest of rivals as his last magic trick.</p><p id="c285" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">A wizard on the ball, Maradona was often considered a God on the footballing field. A flawed genius- to me, Maradona was more synonymous with a Greek God. Greek mythology, as enriching as it is, has an appeal for relatability because the all-powerful Gods are astonishingly human. The Greeks created Gods in their own image: beautiful but fallible, wise and cunning, loving yet jealous, compassionate but vengeful. Maradona was all of that- possibly more. The two Olympian Gods- <strong class="od gv">Apollo</strong> and <strong class="od gv">Dionysus</strong> respectively represented reason and emotions; they were like the yin and yang of thoughts in the Greek world. Maradona was probably the worst of <strong class="od gv">Apollo</strong>, but the best of <strong class="od gv">Dionysus</strong>. He also embodied the competitiveness of <strong class="od gv">Ares</strong> (the Greek God of War) and the leadership qualities of <strong class="od gv">Zeus</strong> (the Greek God of Lightning, Sky and the King on Mount Olympus). Perhaps it is befitting that a church of Maradona (<em class="ox">Iglesia Maradoniana</em>) exists- to celebrate all the glories of larger-than-life Maradona, despite all his vanities and fallacies.</p><p id="f85f" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">***</p><p id="e1d8" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk"><strong class="od gv"><em class="ox">AM (After Maradona) life</em></strong></p><p id="6761" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">26th November, 2020.</p><p id="5386" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I woke up, with a heavy heart. The demise of Maradona has ushered in a feeling of deep loss.</p><p id="d46c" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I called my father. During this pandemic times, distance seemed to increase manifold. We talked for a while — then, before hanging up, I broached the topic of Maradona’s passing away.</p><p id="cef1" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">He turned silent.</p><p id="99b2" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">A few moments later, he sighed, “Well, he did not suffer much.”</p><p id="0ab3" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I could not make out how my father was doing, his voice not betraying his true emotions.</p><p id="0a1e" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">We re-iterated how unfortunate and untimely the event was.</p><p id="a882" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Then I hung up.</p><p id="7981" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">The day felt gloomier than usual, although the radiant sun rays became warmer and brighter as the day progressed.</p><p id="cdb6" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Ten days, loss of two heroes- two icons. That was all occupying my mind.</p><p id="076a" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Then it dawned on me- the loss felt more personal because these two icons were strings of attachment between my father and me. The hollowness felt more intense because our limited range of conversations might be forced to be more restricted. Soumitro and Maradona had trickled down, into my subconscious through my father. And their absence had taken a hit at the connections I share with my father. Their loss reflected the passing away of a part of my childhood.</p><p id="3d5f" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">We are all growing old, slowly getting sucked in the vortex of the ‘greedy’ time. Had these losses reminded me of mortality, at a personal level?</p><p id="b851" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">Had they taught me to cherish every passing moment?</p><p id="fd66" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">(sigh)</p><p id="6210" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">I don’t know.</p><p id="532e" class="pw-post-body-paragraph ob oc gu od b hs oe of og hv oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow gn bk">***</p></div></div></div></div></section></div></div></article></div><div class="ab cb"><div class="ci bh fz ga gb gc"><div class="oy oz ab jn"><div class="pa ab"><a class="pb ay am ao" rel="noopener follow" href="/tag/life?source=post_page-----78fd76d1bdb4---------------------------------------"><div class="pc fj cx pd ge pe pf bf b bg z bk 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Maradona!","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_1":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_1","name":"355f","type":"H4","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Maradona’s role in my relationship with dad","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":43,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"ImageMetadata:1*6R7Ja754XhRxXDMcVCoa5g.jpeg":{"__typename":"ImageMetadata","id":"1*6R7Ja754XhRxXDMcVCoa5g.jpeg","originalHeight":4608,"originalWidth":2592,"focusPercentX":null,"focusPercentY":null,"alt":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_2":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_2","name":"3a6a","type":"IMG","href":null,"layout":"INSET_CENTER","metadata":{"__ref":"ImageMetadata:1*6R7Ja754XhRxXDMcVCoa5g.jpeg"},"text":"Photo by Jack Hunter on 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The past increases, the future recedes. Possibilities decreasing, regrets mounting.”","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":146,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":146,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_4":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_4","name":"7e71","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"~ Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"A","start":19,"end":36,"href":"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.goodreads.com\u002Fwork\u002Fquotes\u002F2753173","anchorType":"LINK","userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":36,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":2,"end":17,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":19,"end":36,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_5":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_5","name":"2f65","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"The year 2020 had been a year of losses. Loss of nature during the devastating Australian bush-fire (although it started in late 2019), loss of millions due to the novel SARS-CoV2 (Covid19) pandemic, loss of economic growth and livelihood for some (millions), and then the loss of icons like Irrfan, Kobe Bryant, Sushant Singh Rajput, Chadwick Boseman, SP Balasubramanium, Max Von Sydow, Sean Connery, and finally Soumitro Chatterjee and Diego Maradona. The last of these two losses had occurred recently, within a span of 10 days- and like a personal loss, a pain resonated in me. A part of my heart and soul seemed to have bid adieu along with them.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":292,"end":402,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":413,"end":434,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":437,"end":454,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":292,"end":402,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":413,"end":434,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":437,"end":454,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_6":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_6","name":"6075","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"***","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_7":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_7","name":"8c7b","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Maradona- a family matter!","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":26,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":26,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_8":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_8","name":"bb98","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I have had a somewhat complicated yet simple relationship with my father. Born in the early 90s in a nuclear family and with both parents working, I never had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my parents during childhood. Then I was thrust into a hostel life (partly by choice and rest by fate), thereby further delimiting my time at home. During vacations, when my parents and I had some time together, I always spent the lion’s share of that with my mother- leaving my father visibly irate or sulking silently.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_9":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_9","name":"48d3","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"His turn used to come whenever the family discussion meandered into topics of football (soccer), films or literature. With my father, I shared a passion for the game; enjoyed being a critique of contemporary films; read out poems of Rabindranath or Jibanananda in unison. We connected over football through Maradona, Cruyff, Zidane; marvelled at films created by Ray, Spielberg; savoured language (as John Keating had iterated ‘sucked the marrow of life’) through Rabindranath, Bankim, Manik.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":401,"end":413,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":428,"end":453,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_10":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_10","name":"eab8","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Let it be known here that my father was a gifted footballer in his youth- he had his University Blues at both Viswa Bharati University and later at Benaras Hindu University (BHU), captaining the side on several occasions in his BHU days. Though my intention is to not blow my own trumpet, I was no slouch either on a football field; but my father’s tangible achievements in football outshone mine and we always had a friendly banter about that. An extension of that banter was fuelled by my support of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, a team that was graced by Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Nistelrooy, Keane, Rooney; and my father rooting for an Arsenal side, managed by the venerated Arsene Wenger and boosted by the likes of Henry, Vieira, Fabregas, Pires, Bergkamp. However, these were all put aside when the quadrennial FIFA World Cup came around; we both put on our ‘white and blue’ Albiceleste stripes and supported the Argentine National Team. And the Argentine National Team is almost synonymous with the name- Diego Armando Maradona.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":1021,"end":1044,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":502,"end":541,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":566,"end":618,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":687,"end":701,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":729,"end":769,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_11":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_11","name":"e4ef","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"A polarizing and colourful figure, his legacy and influence were not confined within the world of football, but disseminated in various spheres of modern era.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_12":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_12","name":"c24e","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"***","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_13":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_13","name":"028e","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"The mystic marvellous Maradona","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":30,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":30,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_14":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_14","name":"64ff","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"My father had often reminisced that in the 1970s, Bengalis were all for Brazil and their “Jogo Bonito” (playing beautiful). During the FIFA World Cups, the neighbourhoods were all clad with gold and green (the colour of the Brazilian National Flag as well as their football kit) and addas (leisurely discussions seen in Bengali paras) at the neighbourhood tea-stalls were all about the contemporary Gods of football- Pele, Garrincha, Tostao, Rivelino, Jairzinho, Gerson, Alberto. Football for Bengalis was summarized as- ‘Brazil or nothing’. When that fabled Brazil team had won the Jules Rimet Trophy for an unprecedented third time (in 1970) and thereby winning it indefinitely, a carnival of emotion and joy erupted in Kolkata (then Calcutta)- perhaps justifying her “City of Joy” entitlement (a moniker bestowed on her by the French author Dominique Lapierre much later in 1985). The next two world cups were less engaging- due to the “Mukti Judhdho” (Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971) and its repercussions- several more families losing their land and loved ones, uncertain immigration and widespread political and social tensions.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":90,"end":101,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":770,"end":784,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":844,"end":862,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":940,"end":953,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":90,"end":101,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":283,"end":288,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":328,"end":333,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":417,"end":478,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":731,"end":744,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":796,"end":882,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":956,"end":989,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_15":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_15","name":"78fb","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Then arrived the 1982 FIFA World Cup- things had settled down in the past ten years. But a change of loyalty was tangible among a certain sector of the Brazilian fans- Brazil’s neighbouring country Argentina had put on some striking displays and a young lad with curly hair, by the name of Diego Maradona was at the centre of those performances. On top of that, Argentina were the reigning champions; the 1978 FIFA World Cup was won by Argentina — the Calcutta-born Brazilian loyalists besmirching the win as an unfair one (allegations had been made against the Argentine army rule, led by Videla and Massera who had pressurized the opponents into losing). Nevertheless, a change was inevitable and the loyal Brazilian fan base soon got divided into two- the veteran camp still rooting for Brazil, and the newer generation taking a gamble and supporting the Argentines. My father was also taken aback by this lad Maradona and his mazy dribbles, his immaculate ball control, his iron will and grit- never going down even under ruthless opposition challenges, and he silently got indoctrinated into the ‘Maradona and Argentina club’. However, heartbreak ensued- Argentina crashed out early with Maradona seeing a red card for a cynical kick to one of the Brazilian players. Brazilian fans mocked and harangued their Argentine counterparts, but deep down they felt relieved- their idol, the king of football- Pele’s place was threatened by this lad- even when Argentina lost. The 22-year-old Maradona, battered and bruised, could not win the World Cup, but he had won the hearts of millions, including that of my father.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":590,"end":596,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":601,"end":608,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":290,"end":304,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":523,"end":655,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_16":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_16","name":"8522","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"My father’s first impression- “Maradona was an enigma!”","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_17":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_17","name":"c1d7","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"A new hero emerged in the Bengali neighbourhoods- graffiti had a new icon at their centre.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_18":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_18","name":"7965","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Four years went by and the FIFA World Cup came around- Mexico playing the host in 1986. Although he got spared from the blushes of supporting Argentina (because of his less-publicised switch to the Argentine camp), this time around my father openly proclaimed his admiration for Argentina- Maradona’s picture displaced that of Pele on the wall of my grandfather’s house. In between, a lot had happened in Maradona’s career- he became the most expensive signing in world football, joining FC Barcelona and then in 1984, he joined Napoli and almost single-handedly turned a club of South Italy into a title contender. However, that was the age without the internet- world news was not dominated by sporting events (unless it was the Olympics) — the Bengalis were impervious to all these feathers in Maradona’s cap.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_19":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_19","name":"1eab","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"The Mexico FIFA World Cup 1986 became famous for a plethora of events- the rhythmic and synchronised swaying of the crowd (the advent of the “Mexican Wave”), the capacity crowd of more than a hundred thousand in the fabled Aztec Stadium, the controversial Jalapeno mascot Pique, the flair of legends like Platini, Socrates, Zico, Valdano. But all were over-shadowed by the flair, prowess and magic of Maradona- this was, and remains the only World Cup which is unanimously considered to be won almost single-handedly by a footballer. Coincidentally, this was the first World Cup that was entirely being telecasted live in India- so the wizardry of Maradona was there for all to witness. Seldom had a player mesmerized as he did- his unworldly goal against England in the semis, dribbling past six players and leaving them lying on the field bamboozled (and in awe) — was a testament to his audacity and adeptness. Even his infamous goal against England became the stuff of folklore- when one wins over the people, a temerarious foul play gets dubbed as the “Hand of the God”.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":223,"end":236,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":141,"end":155,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":272,"end":277,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":305,"end":338,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":1057,"end":1075,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_20":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_20","name":"2d3e","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"The prince of football transformed into the God of football for the Bengalis.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_21":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_21","name":"7636","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"***","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_22":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_22","name":"58b9","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Messi, Maradona (and me)","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":24,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":24,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_23":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_23","name":"3fec","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"“Oh! Brilliant skill from Lionel Messi…surging forward with real menace here…brilliant from Messi… Oooh, what a goal…what a goal that is!","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":137,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_24":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_24","name":"eb88","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"The whole of this ground stands and applauds the 19-year-old…”","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":62,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_25":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_25","name":"a727","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"-Kevin Keating’s words on Messi’s wonder goal against Getafe (2007)","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":17,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_26":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_26","name":"ef77","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I was browsing through the channels during my summer vacation (2008) when a near-supernatural goal, scored by Lionel Messi took me captive. I was mesmerised- how could a football stick to a player’s foot like that! It almost defied science.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_27":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_27","name":"22bc","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I hurriedly nudged my father- “Baba, goal ta dyakho!” (Dad, watch the goal!)","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":31,"end":76,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_28":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_28","name":"07be","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"My father, sitting beside me with the morning gazette held up, peeked. After a minute, he exclaimed- “This is exactly a photocopy of Maradona’s goal!” and then went back to his newspaper. I had expected a bit more reaction- but watching the goal again was the need of the hour than eliciting more superlatives about Messi from my father. I ran to my computer and watched and re-watched the video of the goal on YouTube, every view filling me with unimaginable joy and pride. During that time, I had been rooting for Lionel Messi with all my gusto and witnessing him weaving magic on the football field was a satisfying ritual for me.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_29":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_29","name":"5a11","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"My father and I first got to know about Messi while watching a documentary on Discovery Channel in 2005; it was about the next generation of stars to look out for in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. A short skinny kid, running at the defenders with sheer pace- but the ball sticking to his left foot as if glued. My father obviously saw shades of Maradona in Messi, but was cautiously optimistic since a lot of talented Argentines got the moniker of the next Maradona without living up to it.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_30":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_30","name":"dc35","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Needless to say, I started following every match of Messi from that day onwards, with my father later joking that I had discovered (as in how a football scout discovers a young prodigy) Messi and deserved full credit (when Messi established himself as one of the greatest footballers ever as Barcelona won a record six titles in 2009). Messi, surrounded by Eto’o, Xavi, Henry, Iniesta, Villa and under the tutelage of Guardiola, had produced some dazzling football at Barcelona and steam-rolled through any opposition on their path to glory, winning the prestigious European Champions League in 2009 and 2011. Dominating the era of 2009–2012 with their skilful ‘tiki-taka’ football, that Barcelona team was put among the pantheon of greats and is still regarded as one of the best football teams to grace the game, along with Cruyff’s Ajax and Sacchi’s Milan. Even Maradona put forward words of encouragement- “I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi”- in the words of H. Bloom,” Greatness recognises greatness.”","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":357,"end":391,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":418,"end":428,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":826,"end":839,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":844,"end":858,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":1022,"end":1030,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":1033,"end":1063,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_31":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_31","name":"0c22","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"[But enough about Messi and Barcelona- this memoir has only one hero- Maradona.]","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_32":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_32","name":"166d","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"In 2009, Messi was at the peak of his powers and perched on the mountain-top of eternal glory at club football, but his international football scene was a bit bleak. Argentina was struggling to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and then the unexpected happened- entered El Diego as the Argentine manager.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_33":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_33","name":"6750","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Desperate times call for desperate measures, and when football teams reach crisis points, logic is often thrown out of the window.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":130,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_34":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_34","name":"5a61","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Stuttering in qualification for the 2010 World Cup, the Argentinian FA turned to one Diego Armando Maradona to lead the nation once more to glory. Maradona’s previous experience as a manager had come over a decade earlier with shambolic, brief spells in charge of Mandiyú de Corrientes and Racing Club. In the intervening years he had suffered from a myriad of health issues, almost dying due to a heart problem in 2004. In 2007, he was hospitalised again and entered another period of rehab. A year later, he was the Argentina National Football Team manager.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_35":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_35","name":"95c3","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Blind faith may never be the best strategy in football, but every Albiceleste hoped Maradona would galvanise a talented yet dysfunctional squad. A mixed bag of results, experimentation with the squad and Martin Palermo’s 94th-minute winner ensured Argentina’s qualification in the 2010 World Cup, but these did little to convince both my father and me, that Argentina could surmount challenges of teams like Germany, Spain, Brazil and win the World Cup. Maradona, now synonymous with madness and unbridled emotions as the coach, flung himself through the air to belly-slide across the soaking turf at El Monumental in celebration. His reign of madness was only just beginning.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_36":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_36","name":"c7fc","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Days passed and the World Cup (hosted in South Africa) began. Surprisingly in the group stages: Argentina actually looked good. Nigeria, South Korea and Greece were all dispatched with ease, and only one goal was conceded in the process. Less surprisingly, Maradona allowed himself to get involved in spats along the way with some of his favourite sparring partners: Pele, Michel Platini, Claudio Gentile, FIFA and the media.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_37":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_37","name":"3031","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"A 3–1 victory against Mexico led the world to consider Argentina as a serious contender, after which Maradona, reminding all of his World Cup triumph in 1986, said: “All the experiences of my life, today I gave them to my players with all my soul and heart. I said to the lads, ‘That’s how it was for me.’” However, that victory set up a quarter-final clash with Germany, who had eliminated Argentina on penalties at the previous tournament (and in the process, caused me some teary moments of agony and some sleepless nights). Despite the illustrious opposition, Maradona’s bravado showed no sign of dampening.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":165,"end":307,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_38":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_38","name":"9d0a","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"However, emotions could take one thus far. Germany dismantled Argentina 4–0. Within three minutes, Thomas Muller had put Germany ahead, and Argentina only just made it to half-time trailing by a solitary goal. In the second half, Germany landed not one, not two, but three sucker punches of their own on the counterattack- the difference between a well-drilled team and a group of eleven talented but disarrayed players was there for all to witness. The defeat sent Argentina back home and left a country analyzing the failings of a tournament which ended with Messi having failed to score a single goal. Maradona still put up a brave face, but deep down- I felt a tinge of displeasure and anger at him for not shouldering the blame and leaving Messi to the censure and derision of the footballing world.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_39":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_39","name":"26b3","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Maradona submitted his resignation shortly afterwards and slowly drifted away from the footballing world.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_40":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_40","name":"438a","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"***","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_41":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_41","name":"074b","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Maradona- a Greek God?","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":22,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":22,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_42":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_42","name":"b893","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"As ever in the life of Diego Armando Maradona, madness and limelight were never too far from the horizon. An embodiment of emotions, a rags to riches fairy-tale, a fierce rebel and an iconic camaraderie with Fidel Castro, Maradona had outspoken views on various matters of the world and society. Adding to these, a serious addiction to intoxication and profligacy, Maradona was never out of the headlines. A series of rehabs, hospitalizations, lively appearances at the 2018 World Cup and insignificant coaching endeavours in Dubai- everything surrounding Diego was fodder for the media and the paparazzi.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_43":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_43","name":"19e0","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Ironically, Maradona suffering from a hematoma in November 2020 never made the news (partially because of the ongoing Covid pandemic). On 25th November, Maradona passed away after suffering a myocardial infarction. Tributes poured in from all nooks and corners of the world- an already disarrayed world dealt another blow. Argentina bid farewell to one of her beloved sons amidst tears; heartbroken River Plate and Boca Junior fans were seen mourning together, crying on the streets of Beunos Aires- El Diego unifying the fiercest of rivals as his last magic trick.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":399,"end":410,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":415,"end":426,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_44":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_44","name":"c285","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"A wizard on the ball, Maradona was often considered a God on the footballing field. A flawed genius- to me, Maradona was more synonymous with a Greek God. Greek mythology, as enriching as it is, has an appeal for relatability because the all-powerful Gods are astonishingly human. The Greeks created Gods in their own image: beautiful but fallible, wise and cunning, loving yet jealous, compassionate but vengeful. Maradona was all of that- possibly more. The two Olympian Gods- Apollo and Dionysus respectively represented reason and emotions; they were like the yin and yang of thoughts in the Greek world. Maradona was probably the worst of Apollo, but the best of Dionysus. He also embodied the competitiveness of Ares (the Greek God of War) and the leadership qualities of Zeus (the Greek God of Lightning, Sky and the King on Mount Olympus). Perhaps it is befitting that a church of Maradona (Iglesia Maradoniana) exists- to celebrate all the glories of larger-than-life Maradona, despite all his vanities and fallacies.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":479,"end":485,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":490,"end":498,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":644,"end":650,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":668,"end":676,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":718,"end":722,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":778,"end":782,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":899,"end":918,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_45":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_45","name":"f85f","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"***","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_46":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_46","name":"e1d8","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"AM (After Maradona) life","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[{"__typename":"Markup","type":"STRONG","start":0,"end":24,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null},{"__typename":"Markup","type":"EM","start":0,"end":24,"href":null,"anchorType":null,"userId":null,"linkMetadata":null}],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_47":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_47","name":"6761","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"26th November, 2020.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_48":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_48","name":"5386","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I woke up, with a heavy heart. The demise of Maradona has ushered in a feeling of deep loss.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_49":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_49","name":"d46c","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I called my father. During this pandemic times, distance seemed to increase manifold. We talked for a while — then, before hanging up, I broached the topic of Maradona’s passing away.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_50":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_50","name":"cef1","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"He turned silent.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_51":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_51","name":"99b2","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"A few moments later, he sighed, “Well, he did not suffer much.”","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_52":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_52","name":"0ab3","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I could not make out how my father was doing, his voice not betraying his true emotions.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_53":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_53","name":"0a1e","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"We re-iterated how unfortunate and untimely the event was.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_54":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_54","name":"a882","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Then I hung up.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_55":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_55","name":"7981","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"The day felt gloomier than usual, although the radiant sun rays became warmer and brighter as the day progressed.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_56":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_56","name":"cdb6","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Ten days, loss of two heroes- two icons. That was all occupying my mind.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_57":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_57","name":"076a","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Then it dawned on me- the loss felt more personal because these two icons were strings of attachment between my father and me. The hollowness felt more intense because our limited range of conversations might be forced to be more restricted. Soumitro and Maradona had trickled down, into my subconscious through my father. And their absence had taken a hit at the connections I share with my father. Their loss reflected the passing away of a part of my childhood.","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_58":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_58","name":"3d5f","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"We are all growing old, slowly getting sucked in the vortex of the ‘greedy’ time. Had these losses reminded me of mortality, at a personal level?","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_59":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_59","name":"b851","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"Had they taught me to cherish every passing moment?","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_60":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_60","name":"fd66","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"(sigh)","hasDropCap":null,"dropCapImage":null,"markups":[],"codeBlockMetadata":null,"iframe":null,"mixtapeMetadata":null},"Paragraph:366887b3781c_61":{"__typename":"Paragraph","id":"366887b3781c_61","name":"6210","type":"P","href":null,"layout":null,"metadata":null,"text":"I don’t 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