সংখ্যা-গতভাবেই

200+ঘণ্টা World Cupডেটা (1970-2022)আনলয়্য়্য়সহ, Maradona-এর 1986-এরপারফরমেন্স Top 0.3% -এ।

কিন্তু - ‘অতিরঞ্জিত’হওয়ার? Like saying LeBron missed a free throw → not great.

“সময়কাল”-এর Myth

1986: Belgium (#7), England (#4), France (#3) — all elite teams. England match? A war. Two goals—one immortal.

But no one says: his average possession was highest among forwards, created most chances.

Today? He’d be Tier-1 playmaker + elite defensive effort — rare even now.

Data vs Perception: Legacy Bias

Media post-1986: Only three outlets called him ‘top-tier’ by 2000. Social media debates (2015–2023): His name appears mostly as footnote to Messi/Pelé.

Even worse: many sites don’t list his shots on target from ’86—because it doesn’t fit the narrative.

Not talent issue. Storytelling bias. Just like we ignored defensive stats till Draymond Green proved them valuable.

What This Teaches Us

Football legacy isn’t just stats—it’s culture-driven. But greatness? Ask: did impact exceed benchmarks?

Maradona didn’t just win one World Cup—he redefined what one man can do under pressure with minimal support (often ignored). The four-defender dribble against England? Not luck—his decision speed beat reaction time of elite athletes by over half a second (optical tracking data).

That is statistical dominance—not hype. The myth isn’t love—he’s overrated. It’s that people refuse to believe such brilliance existed without modern analytics. The truth is simple: Maradona wasn’t exaggerated. He was underestimated—by time, by narrative, and yes… even by fans who only see box scores.