Diego Maradona's two spells in Spain were box office.
The Argentine first landed in LaLiga in 1982 when Barcelona paid 1.2 billion pesetas to bring him over from Boca Juniors.
A decade later, Maradona was back in Spain as Sevilla spent 750 million pesetas to sign him from Napoli.
We spoke to some of his teammates from those two spells to find out what it was like to play with one of the greatest players of all time.
"He's the best that I've come across in football. He was the best of his generation by a long way," former Barcelona player Marcos Alonso said.
"The first day he arrived in the dressing room, he picked up some rolled-up socks and started to do, oh I don't know, a thousand keepy-uppies or more and we thought, if he can do that with some socks...
"He was different to everyone else. He set off at 200 miles per hour and stopped in a metre. He did things that others couldn't do. I never saw him play a pass with his right foot."
"Individually, he was the best," said former Barcelona player Pichi Alonso.
"He had such a low centre of gravity that you couldn't knock him off the ball, he'd do a quick turn and run away, and boy could he strike a ball... it was an immense pleasure to play alongside him."
Training antics
While Maradona's skills were in evidence at the weekends, watching him up close in training every day was something else.
"He would say: 'You see that speck in the goal? I'm going to put the ball there', and he did. Exquisite," Pichi said.
"He did incredible things [in training]," former Barcelona midfielder Victor Munoz said.
"He protected the ball, he could control any round object, he had a sharp turn of pace to then cut back, shoot, he knew how to get out of tight spaces.
"Technically, he was unbeatable."
"Technical concepts, class, he had a special gift," former Sevilla midfielder Rafa Paz said.
"You could tell he was from street football. He did keepy-uppies with a ball of tinfoil. He made a brick look round.
"He was from a pasture, from the street, for the way he was and the way he played."
"I used to make a ball with the tape I took off my wrists and throw it to him," former Sevilla goalkeeper Monchi said.
"He'd control it and do keepy-ups as if it was a football."
A dark side
Maradona's spell at Barcelona is remembered for some of the violence that was on show on during games.
"He had brilliant moments and then the disaster of the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club. It was the ugliest moment," Munoz said.
"The aggressiveness that was shown towards him was terrible.
"He was a brave player, who played every game to the full. Now, it would've ended five against five."
W0linhO
0
why so much hate?
leadership is not all about cheerleading n socialization. There are different types of leaders n it shouldn't base on one characteristic cos some leaders lead by charisma n attitude which is quite abstract characteristic that is not observed openly. Messi has nothing to prove, he has taken Argentina to the World Cup final. Everyone don't hv to be on performance enhancing drug. He's done it all both club n country.
NorthBankStanding
0
achieve 1% of what maradona did in his career..then you can criticise him
Which career. Football or. Drug dealing?
__arkopaul__
0
And maradona should Messix to mentor him on how to stay of drugs.
why so much hate?
__arkopaul__
1
.A Drug addic a cheater he should never step foot on the football ground again
doesn't stop him to be considered goat
__arkopaul__
0
maradona was a great players that ever grace the football pitch and yet people choose to remember the bad thing that he used to do that haunted the great maradona himself till this very day.. I believe how much he regrets about the bad habits that people like to remember rather than how great he is as a football player in his playing days..day passing by,week to month and become year all that story remains in the book of history.. but still he is one of the greatest in football history..
well said bro
__arkopaul__
0
He snorted all the white lines on the field. He thought it was cocaine.
achieve 1% of what maradona did in his career..then you can criticise him
AdukaAnfield
5
maradona was a great players that ever grace the football pitch and yet people choose to remember the bad thing that he used to do that haunted the great maradona himself till this very day.. I believe how much he regrets about the bad habits that people like to remember rather than how great he is as a football player in his playing days..day passing by,week to month and become year all that story remains in the book of history.. but still he is one of the greatest in football history..
NorthBankStanding
0
Please keep your hatred and positivity aside because it doesn't fit in here. The article spoke about the good of Maradona, what do you have to say terrible things! are you jealous about him, go take some:) Oh you feel bad! Sorry mate, so put yourself in others shoes before talking. Thank you. cheers
SaurabhNayak
3
goat 🐐
Yiuceotz
0
all you guys who talk about him snorting, it wasn't the snorting that possesed the skill he had but he himself. try snorting or any drug and see if you'll perform as the great Marradona did I doubt you'll even do 10 kpy upys.
mokkoruyz
0
He snorted all the white lines on the field. He thought it was cocaine.
Please keep your hatred and positivity aside because it doesn't fit in here. The article spoke about the good of Maradona, what do you have to say terrible things! are you jealous about him, go take some:) Oh you feel bad! Sorry mate, so put yourself in others shoes before talking. Thank you. cheers
NorthBankStanding
0
The 'Paul Gasgoigne' of Argentina.
NorthBankStanding
0
He snorted all the white lines on the field. He thought it was cocaine.
W0linhO
0
Messi should ask Maradona to mentoring him on how to become a leader, don't you guys think?
And maradona should Messix to mentor him on how to stay of drugs.
Zuwcirst
1
.A Drug addic a cheater he should never step foot on the football ground again
Backpackerinspace
1
Messi should ask Maradona to mentoring him on how to become a leader, don't you guys think?
MILANITALIAsa
2
The Best There Was... The Best There Is.. The Best That Ever Will Be.... No Goat!!! BEAST!!!!!!!......DIEGO MARADONA!!!... AN INSPIRATION For All Time!!!!......
Gunners4ever❤
3
One of the best players ever🇦🇷🔥
leviiBk
5
Lionel Messi on why he doesn't openly talk about his own ability: "I'd rather people talk about me. I know what I am, what I did and what I can give, but I keep it to myself. "People can have their say. I don't like to talk about myself, I like to talk about the collective." Even when he's the best, he doesn't brag about it. An example on and off the pitch, The Greatest there'll ever be! 🐐⚽🙌🏾.... same as Messi
Facaknotu
1
El D10S del futbol!