Diego Maradona: 100-word hero #5

The first guest post of the series comes from Football Italia legend Dave Taylor.

There are no earthly words to describe how good Diego Maradona was and how much he meant and still does to Napoli fans. Napoli BD (Before Diego) was just another club to many, then El Pibe arrived and fame and trophies followed.

Today, whenever a potentially good young Argentinian arrives in Italy he is invariably saddled with the new Maradona moniker. It’s an impossible situation for them as no-one could possibly come anywhere near the player who inspired banners like: “The immensity of the sky is not enough to express our love for you.”

The footballing forefather of Lorenzo Insigne.

Gabriel Batistuta: 100-word hero #4

Roberto Baggio: 100-word hero #3

Roberto Bettega: 100-word hero #2

Giancarlo Antognoni: 100-word hero #1

Dave Taylor was one of the “founding fathers” of the fanzine Rigore!, contributing the Around the Peninsula series featuring intriguing and occasionally bizarre news snippets from around Italy.

He spent much of his time in Italy passing himself as the brother of English stars playing in Serie A during the 1980s - which proved successful until he went to see Paul Elliott’s Pisa side.