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Maradona receives honorary award
Top left: Maradona lifts the World Cup in 1986; right, he is awarded an honourary Ballon D'Or

In 1986, USSR striker Igor Belanov won the Ballon d'Or. But the identity of the world's best player was not up for debate.

The one and only Diego Armando Maradona almost singlehandedly led Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico, gracing the tournament with some of the finest individual displays ever witnessed.

He was also in the process of taking unfashionable Italian club Napoli to the heights of Serie A titles and a Uefa Cup win.

To mark a career of true greatness and a lifetime of entertainment, France Football awarded Maradona an honorary Golden Ball in 1996 for his services to the game.



see also
England trio on Euro award list
19 Oct 08 |  Europe

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