It was a cold sunny afternoon in Naples; the month was December and the year 1989.
It was also a very rare occasion at the San Paolo, as the club’s biggest ever start Diego Armando Maradona, had decided to actually train for a change.
The rumour that he was going to be present that day was so big that journalists and photographers from all over the country have arrived in numbers not to miss the chance to see the great footballer.
He moved and joked at the same pace as his team mates and showed some classy touches as well.
When the session was finished, and everybody went to get showered and changed as to leave, Diego stayed on the pitch.
He grabbed a few balls and walked in the direction of where the photographers were lining up.
He placed five balls spread along the line of the small box, which is very close to the goal itself and said to the journalists and photographers that he was going to score with all 5, all into the top right angle.
Being so close, the chances of missing are huge never mind scoring all of them on the same spot.
In went the first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth, all of them exactly where he said they were going to go.
As he turned around and was leaving, one cheeky photographer said that he missed the photograph of the second one, and could he do that shot for him again.
Maradona did not say a word, turned around placed all 5 balls again, and repeated the exercise with the same result.
He jokingly asked if they all managed to get the shots this time, and turned around to leave again.
As he was doing so, a young guy walked onto the pitch and place the 5 balls in the exact same spots as Diego had done.
He kicked all 5 and 4 went wide and one hit the top of post and went over the bar.
Once more Maradona turned around, went back to where the young guy was, placed the balls for him and took his time before each shot to show him which part of the foot he should use to hit the ball into the top right angle, from each spot.
Diego coached him before each kick, and the guy kicked the balls.
The end result was that the guy ended up scoring 4 and missing the fifth, before both of them left the pitch satisfied with their achievements.
For all of his many issues on and off the pitch, the Argentinean former player has always shown time and respect for anyone trying to succeed in the game, and has himself never forgotten where he has come from.
That guy he coached that day was at that stage a 23 years old Italian man of great future fame called Gianfranco Zola.
It was also a very rare occasion at the San Paolo, as the club’s biggest ever start Diego Armando Maradona, had decided to actually train for a change.
The rumour that he was going to be present that day was so big that journalists and photographers from all over the country have arrived in numbers not to miss the chance to see the great footballer.
He moved and joked at the same pace as his team mates and showed some classy touches as well.
When the session was finished, and everybody went to get showered and changed as to leave, Diego stayed on the pitch.
He grabbed a few balls and walked in the direction of where the photographers were lining up.
He placed five balls spread along the line of the small box, which is very close to the goal itself and said to the journalists and photographers that he was going to score with all 5, all into the top right angle.
Being so close, the chances of missing are huge never mind scoring all of them on the same spot.
In went the first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth, all of them exactly where he said they were going to go.
As he turned around and was leaving, one cheeky photographer said that he missed the photograph of the second one, and could he do that shot for him again.
Maradona did not say a word, turned around placed all 5 balls again, and repeated the exercise with the same result.
He jokingly asked if they all managed to get the shots this time, and turned around to leave again.
As he was doing so, a young guy walked onto the pitch and place the 5 balls in the exact same spots as Diego had done.
He kicked all 5 and 4 went wide and one hit the top of post and went over the bar.
Once more Maradona turned around, went back to where the young guy was, placed the balls for him and took his time before each shot to show him which part of the foot he should use to hit the ball into the top right angle, from each spot.
Diego coached him before each kick, and the guy kicked the balls.
The end result was that the guy ended up scoring 4 and missing the fifth, before both of them left the pitch satisfied with their achievements.
For all of his many issues on and off the pitch, the Argentinean former player has always shown time and respect for anyone trying to succeed in the game, and has himself never forgotten where he has come from.
That guy he coached that day was at that stage a 23 years old Italian man of great future fame called Gianfranco Zola.