"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
Maradona frames genius as obligation, not just gift. By crediting God for his talent, he’s doing something shrewdly human: shifting the spotlight from ego to devotion while still keeping the miracle centered on himself. The sign of the cross becomes less a private prayer than a public contract. It tells the crowd: what you’re about to witness isn’t merely skill, it’s providence - and I’m the designated instrument.
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.
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 |
|---|
More Quotes by Diego
Add to List





