Soccer: Maradona wants 50th birthday bash with Napoli fans
Adored former great wants to 'embrace' city and its people
06 September, 14:32
(ANSA) - Rome, September 6 - Diego Maradona has said he plans
to celebrate his 50th birthday next month with the Napoli fans
who adored him during his glorious seven-year stint in Italy
when he was a player.Maradona, who will reach his half century on October 30, played for Napoli from 1984 to 1991, leading them to the league title twice - their only scudettos - plus two Italian Cup wins and a UEFA Cup victory.
In that time he also helped Argentina to win the 1986 World Cup, scoring the 'Hand of God' goal and the most highly voted 'best goal ever' against England along the way.
''I've had everything in life, a family I adore, a career full of success and today I don't need anything, certainly not money,'' the former Argentina boss told Monday's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
''My one desire is to return to Naples and embrace again the city and the people who have never forgotten me.
''I had the most beautiful, pleasurable time of my life in Naples and I still have lots of friends there''.
Maradona, who did not stay on as Argentina coach after leading his national side to the quarter-finals of this summer's World Cup, has asked his former Napoli teammate Salvatore Bagni to organise the celebration at the city's San Paolo stadium.
He will probably be wary of bringing any valuable objects with him, after having a diamond-studded earring and a Rolex watch seized among other assets by Italy's tax authorities during previous visits. The former great owes the Italian taxman around 36 million euros because of off-the-books earnings in sponsorship and merchandising deals from his time at Napoli.
