Why Maradona Wasn’t Overrated—A Data-Driven Case for the Greatest of All Time

The Myth of the Overrated Legend

I remember the first time I saw a fan argue that Diego Maradona was ‘overrated.’ My eyes didn’t twitch—my Python script did. As someone who spends weekends analyzing Opta data to predict NBA outcomes, I treat athletic legends like variables in a regression model: input data, output truth.

So when people dismiss Maradona as ‘just lucky’ or ‘a product of hype,’ I fire up the stats. And what do they show? A player whose national team performance places him in an elite tier few have ever reached.

1986: Not Just One Game, But a Statistical Phenomenon

The 1986 World Cup isn’t just remembered for the ‘Hand of God’ or ‘Goal of the Century.’ It’s remembered because Argentina averaged 2.3 goals per game, with Maradona contributing directly to 40% of all goals—two goals and three assists in six matches.

That’s not flair. That’s efficiency. In terms of expected goals added (xG+), he ranked higher than any other player at that tournament. And yes, even when you filter out penalty kicks and own goals, his influence still stands.

Compare that to modern stars with similar reputations: How many players today can dominate both scoring AND creating at that level across an entire knockout stage?

The 1990 Final Still Speaks Volumes

Then there’s 1990—the ‘what if’ year. No handball. No miracle in Mexico City. Just pure football under immense pressure.

Argentina lost on penalties after beating Italy and Cameroon—both top-four finishes by FIFA rankings at the time—and Maradona played every minute but one during the tournament proper.

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

If you’re going to claim he was ‘overhyped,’ explain how he consistently outperformed structured teams like Germany and England—not just once, but over multiple tournaments.

Why Do People Doubt Him Now?

Here’s where emotional bias creeps in—something my models are trained to detect and correct for.

We love narratives: ‘He peaked early.’ ‘His personal life ruined his legacy.’ ‘He couldn’t handle pressure.’ But data doesn’t care about scandals or drug tests—or whether he had a bad haircut in ’87. It only cares about outcomes under real conditions:

• Did he win major titles?
• Did he perform against high-level competition?
• Did his presence correlate with team success?

The answer is yes—consistently.

Even if we strip away all sentimentality and ask purely: Was Diego Maradona among history’s top-tier international performers? The data says unequivocally: Yes—and possibly number one.

Final Thought: Trust the Numbers, Not the Noise

The next time someone tells you Maradona was overrated, ask them this: 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.