The Man Beyond Football: 'Maradona: Blessed Dream' explores the life and struggles of a legend twitter facebook reddit twitter facebook reddit

The name Diego Maradona evokes mixed memories for football fans, be it those who've seen him play or be it those who grew up hearing stories of him. The Argentine great was arguably the greatest footballer ever but divided opinions starkly. He was capable of magic but also courted controversies. In short, he was the perfect example of good and bad, yin and yang, all rolled into one.

And it is this extraordinary life story that Amazon Prime Video's recently released original series 'Maradona: Blessed Dream' explores. The series, streaming now, consists of 10-episodes and has been originally shot in Spanish but will be available in English, Hindi,Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Bengali for the Indian audience.

The enigmatic legend rose from the slums of Villa Florito, a suburb on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, to the very top of the footballing world. He was hailed as a god by the masses for his footballing skills but also a villain for his lifestyle and affinity to create trouble.

Maradona's ability to play football was magical but he also had a complex personality that led to erratic behaviour, controversial moments and avoidable mistakes. But an unapologetic Maradona continued to live his life unfazed, king-size and on his terms, till his death in November 2020. He was a fascinating hero who also had a human side to him.

Amazon Prime Video's series encapsulates this facet of Maradona and does a deep dive on how Maradona became Maradona, right from his childhood. Five episodes have already been released, covering Maradona's life till his infamous exit from Barcelona in 1984. The remaining five episodes are set to be released in due course which are expected to feature the iconic Hand of God goal and the World Cup triumph of 1986.

The series, written by Guillerno Salmeron and Silvina Olschansky and directed by Alejandro Aimetta, chronicles how his footballing talent was spotted and how he rose to become Argentine football's greatest hope.

It shows in depth how Maradona came to forge friendships, love and relationships that shaped his career, even detailing Maradona's controversial relationship with the mafia in Argentina.

The initial episodes also show us his stints with Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors, his debut for the Argentina national team and the highs and lows he experiences with the Albiceleste. Maradona's world record move to Barcelona and the subsequent acrimonious exit is also detailed, with an in-depth, relatable view at what led to all that.

Understanding Diego Maradona is not easy, for the man's unquestionable footballing genius was offset by a tempestuous lifestyle. But Maradona: Blessed Dream is a great attempt at conveying why Maradona lived the way he lived, from his own perspective.

An absolute must-watch for fans of the beautiful game, 'Maradona: Blessed Dream' reveals incidents from his life that have hitherto been unknown.

Watch the show only on Amazon Prime Video. Click here.