অতিরঞ্জিতের পৌঁছনি

আমি প্রথমবারের मতই एक fan-এর दावा सुनलाम कि डिएগो मारादोना ‘अत्यधिक प्रशंसित’। मेरी आँखें झপकी - मेरा Python script हिलेगया। Opta data-এ analyze करতे हुए NBA outcomes predict करা, मैं खिलाड़ीদेखि variables-হিসाबে।

যখন logan Maradona-কে ‘শুধুমাত্র luck’ or ‘hype’-এর result-হিসাবে dismiss kore, amar stats fire up hoye jai। result? Argentina-ti elite tier-e thake - few have ever reached.

1986: One Game Not, But a Statistical Phenomenon

1986 World Cup only remember for ‘Hand of God’ or ‘Goal of the Century’? No. Argentina avg. 2.3 goals per game; Maradona directly contributed to 40% - two goals and three assists in six matches.

That’s not flair. That’s efficiency. xG+ by Opta: higher than any other player at that tournament. Even after removing penalties & own goals, his influence stands.

Compare with modern stars: How many today can dominate scoring & creating at that level across entire knockout stage?

The 1990 Final Still Speaks Volumes

Then there’s Italy ’90 — the ‘what if’ year. No handball. Just pure football under pressure.

Argentina lost on penalties after beating Italy & Cameroon — both top-four FIFA ranked teams — Maradona played every minute but one.

He had more key passes than any other midfielder in Italy ’90 (Opta tracking), despite defensive schemes designed to neutralize him.

If you claim he was ‘overhyped,’ explain how he outperformed structured teams like Germany & England — not once, but multiple tournaments.

Why Do People Doubt Him Now?

Emotional bias creeps in — something my models detect and correct. We love narratives: ‘Peaked early.’ ‘Personal life ruined legacy.’ ‘Couldn’t handle pressure.’ But data doesn’t care about scandals or drug tests — or bad haircut in ’87. It cares only about outcomes under real conditions:

• Did he win major titles?
• Did he perform vs high-level competition?
• Did his presence correlate with team success? The answer is yes — consistently. Even stripping sentimentality: Was Maradona among history’s top-tier international performers? Data says Yes—possibly number one.

Final Thought: Trust the Numbers, Not the Noise

The next time someone says Maradona was overrated… ask them: you’re saying a man who led Argentina through two World Cups—one ending as champions—is less impactful than someone with half his goal tally but better Instagram engagement? The numbers don’t agree—and neither does logic.