Maradona, the Hand of God  (2007)

Theatrical Release Information:
Maradona, the Hand of God

Marco Leonardi stars as controversial soccer icon Diego Maradona in this sports biopic co-written by Manuel Rios San Martin and César Vidal, and directed by Marco Risi. As a young boy growing up on the bleak, industrialized outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona longed for the day that he would transcend his meager beginnings to become an internationally renowned soccer star. Later, he was propelled to fame by a winning combination of character, passion, and athleticism, ultimately achieving his dream of international superstardom. At once loved, hated, and worshipped by soccer fans around the globe, the rising star played in four World Cup games in addition to being voted the FIFA Player of the Century. But for every triumph, Maradona suffered his fair share of setbacks -including a fifteen month suspension after testing positive for cocaine in 1991, and yet another for testing positive for ephedrine during the 1994 World Cup. An outspoken athlete whose own inability to censor himself often resulted in the most controversy, Maradona nevertheless endured to become one of the most outstanding athletes in the history of the game. Named for the illegal goal-scoring move he used to defeat England during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final match, Maradona, Hand of God explores the life and career of this polarizing figure from a perspective that reserves judgment, and allows the actions of the athlete to speak for themselves. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide