Juventus, Inter & Sampdoria Rejected Maradona Before Napoli Move

Added at:
another languages: uk ru

Diego Maradona

The history of Serie A could have been drastically different.

Pierpaolo Marino, the man credited with bringing Diego Armando Maradona to Napoli in 1984, has revealed that Italy’s biggest clubs — Juventus, Inter Milan and Sampdoria — all turned down the chance to sign the Argentine icon.

"In 1984, Diego had a falling-out with Barcelona and his agent was looking for a new club," Marino told Sky Italia. "At that time, the only Italian teams who could realistically afford him were Juventus, Sampdoria and Inter. I called all three. They all said no."

Serie A: Fixtures, Results & Standings

Just 23 years old at the time, Maradona had only been in Europe for two seasons following his move from Argentinos Juniors to Barcelona. Despite his talent, top Serie A clubs weren’t willing to take the risk — but Napoli seized the moment.

"A few nights later, I was having dinner with Antonio Juliano, Napoli’s sporting director, who told me they were looking for a foreign player. I mentioned Diego, and initially he said ‘no’. But just 10 minutes later, he called me back. The next morning, we had a meeting... and the rest is history."

Maradona joined Napoli in 1984 and became a legend. During his seven-year spell, he led the club to two Serie A titles, a UEFA Cup, a Coppa Italia, and a Supercoppa Italiana. The Stadio San Paolo would later be renamed the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in his honor.

What could have been a career in Turin, Milan, or Genoa, instead became a defining chapter in football history — one that changed Napoli forever.

another languages: uk ru

NewsRSS - News - Terrikon

27 October

00:17
Lando Norris wins the Mexican Grand Prix to take the lead in the 2025 Formula 1 title race

26 October

23:10
Fiorentina and Bologna share the spoils in a dramatic 2–2 draw
22:23
Tottenham cruise past Everton with a dominant 3–0 victory
21:06
Real Madrid triumph in El Clásico to extend lead over Barcelona
20:24
Leverkusen ease past Freiburg to break into Bundesliga top four
19:25
Roma edge past Sassuolo and catch leaders Napoli
19:09
Aston Villa stun Man City to halt pursuit of Arsenal
18:54
Eberechi Eze fires Arsenal to narrow win over former club
10:37
Cristiano Ronaldo edges closer to historic 1,000-goal milestone
09:08
NBA: Nuggets dominate Suns as Nikola Jokic sets new records
00:52
Liverpool suffer fourth straight defeat

25 October

22:03
Manchester United Beat Brighton to Secure Third Straight Premier League Win
21:24
Napoli Defeat Inter to Reclaim Top Spot in Serie A
20:19
PSG Cruise Past Brest
19:39
Bruno Guimarães Fires Late Winner as Newcastle Edge Fulham
19:22
Unstoppable Bayern Munich Crush Borussia Mönchengladbach
19:14
Stunning Sunderland Shock Chelsea to Climb to Second in the Premier League
10:39
NHL: New Jersey Devils Extend Winning Streak to Seven
09:33
NBA Roundup: Doncic Drops 49, Flagg Contained as Wizards Stun Mavericks
09:00
Lionel Messi Shines with a Brace as Inter Miami Dominate Nashville
01:45
Real Sociedad Defeat Sevilla to Climb Out of the Relegation Zone
01:20
Werder Bremen Edge Union Berlin with Narrow but Crucial Win
00:52
AC Milan Held to Draw by Serie A Newcomers Pisa
00:36
Waiting for Nuno Espírito Santo’s First Win Drags On as West Ham Fall to Leeds

24 October

13:44
Rafael Benítez Appointed New Panathinaikos Head Coach