This story bes like all the stories: "Once upon a time" on October 20, 1976, in the old pitch of Boyacá and Agustín García a football game was played like so many others, but this time it would be Argentinos Juniors and Talleres de Córdoba be part of the story. Suddenly he appears, that little boy who played with the ball in a paddock near his house, appeared to fulfill a dream that he had kept under his pillow.

The coach called him and said "come on boy, come in and show them how this is played". With a smile on his face that enthusiastic boy showed his back with the number '16' to the world for the first time. And to think that some madman of the statistics will say that that day Argentinos Juniors lost 1-0; but the reality marks another thing, they had begun to win by a landslide.

The 7 of February of 1977, after only 11 games in first division and to have marked only 2 goals, César Luis Menotti did make debut with the absolute National Team of Argentina against Hungary in the Boca Juniors field. Of course, the same Menotti who gave him his first opportunity, also gave him his first sadness. With a rebel tear rolling down his face, Diego was left out of the 1978 World Cup.The dates of this story follow one another. From August 26 to September 7, 1979 made all Argentina get up early to see him lifting the U-20 World Cup in Japan, along with Ramón Díaz and company. The phrase says "the one who gets up early, God helps him"; and it was true, the god of football got up early and helped us. The story of this extraterrestrial football was written with skills and spectacular goals.

And Diego was advancing. For example, if we moved to May 13, 1980, the legendary Wembley stadium, "the cathedral of football, received it. Argentina against the creators of the game and Diego said "I'm going to show you what this is about". Making a monumental play on the right side and leaving the English on the way, he prepared to face the goalkeeper and put the ball to the far post and ... the ball went wide. As if that were not enough, his brother confronted him after the game and said "Why did not you prance him?". "What do you know", Diego told him, although I keep the idea in his head.

6 years later, Maradona activated his genius in a World Cup. Against England again, in an improved version, he made that memorable play. After leaving on the road how many Englishmen crossed, he confronted Peter Shilton. And at the most difficult moment, there in the area where everyone is in a hurry, he remembered his brother and the "Why did not you prance him?", And left the goalkeeper also thrown. He finished his masterpiece and turned the most wonderful goal ever seen by an Earthman.

Never, but never the World Cup was in better hands. Never, but never a player gave so much to a country in a World Cup. Never, but never was anyone so transcendent in a conquest of this type. Of course there is a reason, the rest are human.

The highs of this story can not make us forget the Boca Championship in 1981. The night of April 10 when they beat River 3-0, with two goals by Miguel Brindisi and one by the wizard Diego. He jumped, flew in the area to lower it with his left foot, left the big "Duck" Fillol on the floor and chose the most complicated place to put it.

One day he went to Spain with Barcelona, ​​but on September 24, 1983, Goycochea crossed his path and we realized he was human, seriously hurt Maradona. But with all that he left a Copa del Rey in the windows to Barcelona, ​​plus a lot of feints, smiles and goals.

Change of situation. We are in July 1984, in the middle of European summer. In a beautiful and passionate city they were presented: around here Maradona, over there the Napoli. In southern Italy someone at that time told him "this is your house", and he believed him. As a show of affection Diego gave them in the 1986-1987 season what they had dreamed so much and had never had, the Scudetto of Serie A.

Napoli was champion for the first time and they could not believe it. And to stop pinching and ask if it was real, he won again in the 1989-1990 season. And as if that were not enough, he gave them the UEFA Cup, the Italian Cup and the Capocannoniere from 1987-1988. He did not believe God, he was God for the Neapolitans.

In the 1990 World Cup he played against injuries, but without abandoning the boat he took Argentina to the final. Not before making a play of those to leave alone Caniggia against Brazil and also to make a penalty goal against Italy at home that was celebrated by the Neapolitans. But in that World Cup it was that we began to realize that he was human when we saw it weeping with pain seeing that the champion and the cup that was so well in his hands were no longer there.

Jumps and more jumps has this story. We are located in 1994 in the United States. Match against Greece and Diego gave us as inheritance his last goal, his last historical and unforgettable brushstroke; having played to the band to give the last touch to the net with a left-footed shot to the heart.

Some crazy person will say that you are not there anymore, that you left; that we do not see you anymore with the colors of Argentina; that we are not going to see you with your girlfriend of all the life, the ball; that that '10' shirt that you had so well is already a legend. Today this story says that you are the greatest of all and on the last page, as if everyone wrote them, you see a word written: "thank you".

Thank you God for bringing it. Thank you soccer for choosing it among all sports. Thank you nice ball for loving and letting you love that way. Thanks Diego for playing in this way that is definitely the one we like the most, simple...simply Diego Armando Maradona.