Argentina legend Diego Maradona visited Oxford University

The world-famous Oxford University debating chamber invited the Argentinian international to speak in November of 1995.

It’s one of a number of photos from that year we have found in the Oxford Mail archive.

Maradona, the creative linchpin of the Argentina side that won the 1986 World Cup and former national team manager, died aged 60 in November of 2020.

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Diego Maradona at the Oxford Union in November 1995.

The Oxford Union has played host to many famous names over the years but securing the visit of Maradona was an achievement at the time.

With a distinctive blond streak dyed into his hair, Maradona kept his audience entertained with stories illustrating his love for the game.

Speaking years later in his autobiography, first published in Spanish in 2000 and in English in 2004, the legendary player spoke about his trip to Oxford.

“The best reply was given not by me but by the prestigious Oxford University,” Maradona wrote.

“I was invited to speak at the Union there, and the recognition from such an eminent place really was one of the greatest joys of my life.

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Diego Maradona at Napoli in Italy. (Image: Archant)

“I made an enormous effort to be there. I landed in London, and a minibus took us to Oxford.

“Finally, I found myself standing in front of a load of students from all over the world who applauded me as if I’d just scored the best goal of my life.”

At the time, with the help of a translator, he told invited guests in the debating chamber that he was “born on a football pitch in the 1960s with a football secured between his teeth and the Argentinian national team on his back”.

He said at the time: “I come from a humble shanty town on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

“It was on this little field that I began to practise, in friendly neighbourhood games between friends.

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Diego Maradona at the Oxford Union in 1995. (Image: Newsquest Archive)

“‘Football player’ – I would dream in those days – what awesome words they were – I became obsessed by them.

“These words were: I knew my goal, my destiny, what I wanted to be when I grew up.”

Maradona went on to tell students about the important relationship between players and the fans.

He added: “All the famous players back then were my idols.

“I could not understand how they could entertain thousands of people weekend after weekend and still be themselves.

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Diego Maradona died back in 2020.

“I was always absorbed by the wonders they worked with the ball – I was thrilled when they waved to the fans or scored a goal.”

Maradona said football gave him “such a rush of joy as it did to all the fans”.

“This rush was provoked by something that indeed I can’t really explain,” he added at the time.

Maradona is remembered by many for his ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Argentina won the game 2-1, thanks to a second goal by Maradona dubbed the goal of the century.