After Maradona’s tragic passing, Paolo Maldini revealed if he ever apologized for kicking Diego so much when they faced each other in the ‘80s.
Paolo Maldini started his career as a young defender who had to guard Diego Maradona during the ‘80s decade. Imagine being a teenager who has to defend one of the best players who ever lived and trying to stop him during his prime.
If we wonder how Paolo Maldini became one of the best defenders in football history, this has to be one of the biggest reasons. Paolo did his best to try and stop the legendary player but he always struggled to catch him. Every time you saw him kicking the living hell out of Maradona, it was never on purpose.
Diego also understood how football worked at the time, he knew Maldini’s intention was to defend rather than hurt. However, this didn’t mean the Italian defender never felt sorry for all those times he didn’t make it in time to touch the ball and get his feet instead.
Maldini is still in awe of Maradona to this day.
During his first intervention on the media after Maradona’s passing via Telefoot, Maldini described him with respect: “You could not catch him. I was next to him at the Serie A Hall of Fame awards and they showed some of our footage together. I always considered myself a very fair defender, but I have to admit in those videos I was doing some horrible fouls on him, but it was only because he always anticipated me and I was therefore late.
“He was so quick and was kicked to pieces all through his career, all through the game. I felt ashamed and apologized to him after that clip. I also realized even more than I had remembered just how quickly he controlled the ball and changed direction. He really was extraordinary.”
Paolo Maldini can tell his grandchildren he defended his colors against one of the biggest players in football history.
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