Cesar Luis Menotti was manager of Argentina national team for 1978 World cup at home. Menotti did not include young Diego Maradona in World Cup squad. Argentina went on to win the World Cup. He sent a report to Barcelona on Maradona that year, as Catalan club were interested in signing Menotti’s compatriot.
But somehow young Diego stayed in Primera División and scored 123 goals in 146 matches during 1978-81. The Argentine forward arrived at Barcelona four years later from Boca Juniors.
Menotti wrote the report after watching a game between Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors and this was the first piece of information Barcelona received on the forward.
Diego Maradona was just 17 years old and stood out because of the skills he showed on the Argentine pitches. Menotti provided detailed input in his report on 1986 World Cup winner, who was just a young prodigy at the time.
PLAYER REPORT:
Diego Armando Maradona
GRADING ASSESSMENT:
Very good, extraordinary. Speed 9.5. Starting Speed 9.5. With Ball 9.1. Without Ball 9.5. Agility 9.5. Jump power 8.
MORAL CONDITION:
Mental strength 10. Power of suffering 10. Concentration 10. Selfish 0. Personality 10.
GENERAL TECHNIQUE:
Unbeatable.
SPECIFIED TECHNIQUE:
Extraordinary, effective and just dribbling. Excellent power. Extraordinary courage. Extraordinary efficiency. Very good shot. Great passing. Total accuracy. Complete vision. Average heading. Good leadership. Very good power to retain the ball. Extraordinary ball protection.
INDIVIDUAL TACTICS:
Complete intelligence in football. Complete sense for football. Good view. Very good speed in efficiency.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS:
Young. He was born on 30/10/1960. He has prodigious technical qualities, easy dribbling. He has a straight line vision facing the goal, but he knows how to get rid of the ball for the best placed teammate. Extraordinary reflexes. He protects the ball very well to play it immediately with great efficiency. His short passes and shots are pure wonder. Prodigious changes of pace.
