"God makes me play well. That is why I always make the sign of a cross when I walk out on to the pitch. I feel I would be betraying him if I didn't"
About this Quote
The subtext hums with the tensions that made Maradona a secular saint in Argentina. Catholic ritual, working-class superstition, and national yearning all converge on the pitch, where football functions like a weekly liturgy. In that world, crossing yourself isn’t “religious content”; it’s a familiar language of humility, protection, and spectacle. Maradona’s phrasing - “betraying him” - spikes the piety with fear and duty. He’s not asking for help so much as keeping faith with the source of his power, like an artist terrified the muse will leave if not properly honored.
Context matters because Maradona’s career lived under moral crossfire: adored, scrutinized, and repeatedly accused of cheating fate, rules, even his own body. Invoking God can read as sincerity, deflection, or both. It also lands with particular bite given his mythology around the “Hand of God” goal: the line between divine favor and human mischief was always blurred. The ritual suggests he knew exactly what kind of story he was inside - and how to keep it believable.
Quote Details
| Topic | God |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Maradona, Diego. (2026, January 15). God makes me play well. That is why I always make the sign of a cross when I walk out on to the pitch. I feel I would be betraying him if I didn't. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/god-makes-me-play-well-that-is-why-i-always-make-47055/
Chicago Style
Maradona, Diego. "God makes me play well. That is why I always make the sign of a cross when I walk out on to the pitch. I feel I would be betraying him if I didn't." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/god-makes-me-play-well-that-is-why-i-always-make-47055/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"God makes me play well. That is why I always make the sign of a cross when I walk out on to the pitch. I feel I would be betraying him if I didn't." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/god-makes-me-play-well-that-is-why-i-always-make-47055/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.






