Top 95 Maradona Quotes & Sayings

I was lucky enough to play against Maradona. He and Ronaldo, when he was at Inter Milan - they were my toughest opponents.

In my career, Diego Maradona had the biggest influence on me.

I don't know many footballers except Maradona and Messi.

I have met him a few times. What can I say - Maradona is one of the best players in football history.

I am not Lionel Messi, I'm not Maradona, I'm just Dries and I'm happy with that.

I find it embarrassing when people compare me to Maradona. How can they? There is only one Maradona. People who say this just have no idea, they don't know what they are talking about. Diego was a complete one-off who will never have an equal on the football pitch. No-one, I repeat no-one, could have transformed teams like he did. Maradona was the world's greatest-ever player while I'm just an apprentice.

Maradona has been the best player in history and for me, Messi is even greater than he is.

Messi is top but Maradona is another world.

Everything Maradona did, he did with a guy hanging on his neck during 90 minutes.

If I played again it would be like Maradona or Platini playing again!

I have cried twice in my life watching a football player; the first one was Maradona and the second was Ryan Giggs.

What differences were there between Maradona and Platini?

At Napoli, the greatest player of all time played here - Diego Armando Maradona. The fans expect the best, and quality players.

Stoichkov is a great person and an exceptional player... Only if we had him at Napoli... can you imagine the Stoichkov-Maradona attacking duo?

Messi, even if technically is same or more, he doesn't have more charisma than Maradona had.

Maradona doesn't play soccer anymore, he coaches it. He needs to remember that.

One of my favourite sportsmen was Diego Maradona and every time I saw him play football you could see the passion in the heart.

Messi, there is only one, as there was only one Maradona. You cannot replace players like them.

Messi. 86 goals in calendar year and still 3 games to play! Best to ever play the game in my opinion just edges Maradona.

Back in my days, my favorite opponent was Diego Maradona.

What's the problem that people have here in Spain with Maradona and Messi? They spend the whole day comparing them.

He is an exceptional talent. I still think Diego Maradona is the best player I have ever seen but Messi is closing in fast. He's a wonderful sight in full flight and we are lucky to have him around.

What Zidane can do with a football, Maradona could do with an orange.

I have played against (Michel) Platini, (Diego) Maradona, (Johan) Cruyff and played with George Best — a lot of big names, but none of them has been able to do what Messi does. Two years ago I said that the best player I played against was Maradona and the best player I have played with was Bestie. But I can now say I have never seen a player as good as Messi. He’s in a league of his own.

I am not Pele or Maradona

Diego (Maradona) has filled us with emotions. But between the cracks, without doubt, Messi is better than Maradona.

Messi is the best player ever. And this is said by someone who has seen Maradona and Pele play.

Messi is the best that's played the game. Streets ahead of Maradona.

Maradona, I think, is not a football player but he's something different. He was unbelievable.

Maradona, yes! Diego was very fast, with good skills and brilliant dribbling. Many players are fast but cannot control the ball, but he was amazing.

Pele and Maradona won games but they had the help of their team-mates.

I played against Maradona and he was a great player like Messi too.

...the last player I truly idolize... No other footballer is more worthy of the number 10 shirt than him. (on Maradona)

Messi has all the conditions to be the best, but first he has to beat Maradona, Romario and then eventually Pele.

For such a small man Maradona gets great elevation on his balls

As a boy, I wanted to be the Peruvian Diego Maradona. Sadly, Peru hasnt made the World Cup since 1982, so I guess I did well to choose something different.

The Neapolitans have a special affection for Argentines. They are similar to us as well as having Diego Maradona in their hearts.

Maradona is among the best five players I've ever seen: Garrincha, Pele, Diego, Cruijff and Beckenbauer.

The goal was scored a little bit by the hand of God, another bit by the head of Maradona.

Only two players made me cry when watching football, one was Diego Maradona and the other Ryan Giggs.

The only ones who would be happy if Messi doesn't go to the World Cup would be Maradona fans because, that way, they can keep saying that he's the best.

They say Maradona is God, but there's only one God!

He was so influential on every aspect of my game. I promise you - I would have been another Gianfranco Zola if I hadn't trained and played with Maradona every day.

He has been named as the heir apparent of the great Argentine hero, Diego Maradona, by journalists, players, and Maradona himself, alike. I'd personally put him in a drawer of my bedside table.

I was certainly no Maradona. I was a very fast player. When I saw a space, I used it. When I went past somebody, he didn't catch up with me again. I was a player who came with a run-up. What Maradona could see in a small space, I saw over long distances.

I'm not a Maradona, and it's not my intention to become one.

The myth about me as a footballer has grown: I am now the lost Maradona of Norway.

Most people only remember Maradona for the bad parts now. But he was a genius, someone who lifted us and himself up to the level of the gods.

I've been around some very famous people, but no one has the effect Maradona has; people tremble in his presence.

I don't think there is anybody bigger or smaller than Maradona.

I am Maradona, who makes goals, who makes mistakes. I can take it all, I have shoulders big enough to fight with everybody.

Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona. Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been.

Maradona has done a lot for his clubs, as Messi does, and for the Argentina national team.

I am not a great artist like Maradona was with regards to on-the-field matters.

For soccer, it was Diego Maradona, and then another idol for me was Michael Jordan. To see them play and how that they could impact the game was pretty special.

Maradona is Maradona, that's indisputable, but he doesn't play anymore. He stopped playing a long time ago.

Maradona was absolutely the best player I ever played with.

As a boy, I wanted to be the Peruvian Diego Maradona. Sadly, Peru hasn't made the World Cup since 1982, so I guess I did well to choose something different.

I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates.

The memories obviously of playing with Maradona are fantastic memories, he's probably the most important part of my career.