Ronan Early: When Maradona left his mark, it stayed with us for ever

Last Wednesday’s sorrow at the untimely passing of a sporting genius was tempered by memories of the joy triggered by his ridiculous feats on the field of play

Diego Maradona holds the World Cup trophy while being carried on his teammates’ shoulders on June 19, 1986 Picture: Getty

We are told to be grateful for growing older because it is a privilege denied to many. A supplementary privilege to those past 40 is that they got to experience Diego Maradona in his pomp.

We who were born in the late 1970s had the extraordinary good fortune that our first conscious World Cup happened in 1986. Memories of this time are vivid still, whereas I have to pause to remember who won, say, the ...