How a wind-up convinced Maradona he could win World Cup on his own

The late Argentina great’s personal trainer recounts in this book extract a visit he made to the player’s room before Mexico 86

Diego Maradona arrived in Mexico like a well-tuned violin. He had managed to stabilise his weight at 76kg long before the World Cup. His physical condition was optimal from the feet to the neck, and little by little he managed to acclimatise to the Aztec high habitat. The place chosen as the training camp was ideal for footballers – although they baptised it as Alcatraz, the famous American penitentiary located on a small island in the San Francisco Bay. They could perform the necessary exercises to adapt to the altitude, enjoy many hours of rest and sleep, a good diet and a relaxed, calm atmosphere.

The coach Carlos Bilardo, who had rehearsed acclimatisation to the altitude with a group of players – although without Diego – in Tilcara, a town in the province of Jujuy located about 3,000m above sea level, also organised several training sessions at the time set for games, so the boys would also get used to the torrid heat of the Mexican summer. Diego trained with the team on the field, where Bilardo ordered his tactics and strategies.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/apr/07/diego-maradona-win-world-cup-on-his-own-mexico-86