Synopses & Reviews
Hand of God is the definitive biography of one of the greatest players in the history of world soccer, a man who at one time was arguably the most brilliant and most controversial figure in all of sport: Argentina's Diego Maradona.This extraordinary story moves from the slums of Buenos Aires, where Maradona was born in 1960, to the packed stadiums of the United States, where he was ignobly expelled in 1994 after failing a drug test. In his rise to fame - and notoriety - Maradona played for some of the world's greatest teams, leading Argentina to their second World Cup championship in 1986, and captaining Napoli to two Italian League titles. But the pressures of stardom led to a cocaine addiction that caused the charismatic and stormy footballer to womanize, associate with organized crime, and become a pawn in Argentinean political gamesmanship. This revealing examination of a complex sporting genius offers unique insight into a sordid world of exploitation, corruption, and intrigue. (6 x 9, 260 pages, b&w photos)
Review
"The seamy backstairs of international soccer have never been more tellingly exposed."--
Financial Times Synopsis
Soccer great Diego Maradona was one of the world's most controversial and flamboyant sportsmen and a central figure in four World Cups. But the pressures of stardom led to a cocaine addiction that caused the charismatic and stormy Maradona to womanize, associate with organized crime, and become a pawn in Argentinean political gamesmanship. This revealing examination of a complex sporting genius offers insight into a world of exploitation, corruption, and intrigue.