Diego MARADONA

Diego Maradona travelled to the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico with much to prove after the disappointment of the '82 Finals, where he was red-carded for a crude challenge on Brazil's Batista. By the end of the tournament he had proved himself to be far and away the outstanding player in the World and had won Football's greatest prize almost single-handedly. That is not to say that Argentina did not have other world class players in that '86 side - Burruchaga and Valdano to name two - but surely no player before or since has made a greater contribution to his country's cause than Maradona did in Mexico. His five goals in the tournament was bettered only by England's Gary Lineker, who scored six.

His first goal of the Finals came in a 1-1 draw with Italy in the group stages. Argentina topped their group courtesy of victories over Bulgaria and South Korea and then beat their South American rivals Uruguay by the only goal to set up that never to be forgotten quarter-final clash with England. Maradona opened the scoring with his now infamous 'hand of god' goal and then doubled the lead with a goal of simply breathtaking quality. Picking the ball up around the half-way line the diminuitive front-man jinked his way past the England challenges, side-stepped England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and stroked the ball into the net - it was arguably the finest goal in World Cup history. Lineker pulled a goal back for England late on but the Argentinians were not to be denied and won through to a semi-final meeting with Belgium, which they won 2-0 thanks to another brilliant brace from the magnificent Maradona.

That victory meant a final against the West Germans which they were to win 3-2 in a thrilling finale. The Argentinian's appeared to be cruising after going 2-0 up thanks to goals from Brown and Valdano but late goals from Rummenigge and Voller levelled matters, before Burruchaga's strike two minutes from time sealed victory. Captain Maradona held aloft the trophy in what was, without doubt, the crowning moment of his glorious career. (David Scranage)