Maradona's First World Cup Tournament

Maradona's first World Cup tournament took place in Spain, where he represented Argentina, the defending champions. The tournament commenced with Argentina facing Belgium at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat. Despite this setback, Argentina managed to advance to the second round by securing victories against Hungary and El Salvador. However, internal tensions within the team began to surface, which negatively impacted their overall performance. In the second round, Argentina faced Brazil and Italy, both of whom were formidable opponents. Maradona participated in all five matches of the tournament, showcasing his skills by scoring two goals against Hungary. However, he also faced significant challenges, including being fouled repeatedly by opponents. His tournament ended on a controversial note when he was sent off during the match against Brazil for a serious retaliatory foul, highlighting the intense pressure and physicality of World Cup football.