Home > Football > Message in a bottle: Why do super talents like Best, Maradona, Gascoigne and Adriano go off the rails?
Message in a bottle: Why do super talents like Best, Maradona, Gascoigne and Adriano go off the rails?
Some of football's most naturally gifted players suffer from acute difficulties off the park. Such are the flaws of true genius...
by Jonathan Naylor on 26 April 2008
Email this Article (4) Comments
When asked about the most gifted footballers of the post-war era, the answers are usually one of a handful.
George Best, Paul Gascoigne and Diego Maradona are amongst the names frequently mentioned, with their silky skills and awe-inspiring ability lasting long in the memory. But why does it seem that those with the most natural talent end up suffering off the pitch as a result?
It was these non-footballing difficulties that ultimately cost Best his career. His battle with alcoholism is well documented, and both Gazza and Maradona had their own fights with mental illness and addiction that left many pundits describing theirs as a 'talent wasted'.
Furthermore, this phenomenon does not seem to be reserved for footballers. Andrew Flintoff's alcohol-fuelled exploits during the World Cup were part of a string of drunken misadventures, whilst rugby union's newest sporting genius, Dan Cipriani, was recently removed from the England squad due to being spotted leaving a nightclub in the early hours, albeit under contentious circumstances.
Comments (4)
by THE GREATEST on April 26, 2008
How the hell can you mention Gascoigne in the same breath as Best and Maradona? Thats completely wrong. Typical English always want to overhype one of their own and cant accept that there not good enough. Best and Maradona were total genius' recognised by the world. Gascoigne looks incredibly ordinary when compared to greats in today's game nevermind all time. Seriously stop this biased English crap and just accept that your nothing on the World stage. Duncan Edwards is the ONLY englishman that would get in an all time 11
by The knower of all things on April 27, 2008
Thats EASY................George Best was one day driving past a pizza parlour and when he looked in he saw MARADONA,THE FAT ONE, EL FATO eating a pizza he shouted HEY you FAT CHEATING BASTARDO the world will only remember that YOU WERE A CHEAT,Paul Gasgoigne who was sitting in the passenger seat looked at Besty and said Maradonna eh?...what a waste.
by chris Green on April 28, 2008
You probably think we're going to say going to TALLHUB.c om is a good idea because you could catch an TALLplayers and TALLMODELS. If that was the issue we'd tell you going to the bar is a bad idea. In fact, if you already have a "gift" of your own, TALLHUB is probably right for you. Otherwise, do not, we repeat, do not out of some sense of curiosity go poking around TALLHUB.c om. Why? Because if any dating site anywhere on the internet has a higher concentration of
by Luca on June 26, 2008
To the Man Utd fan. Gascoigne was immense in his day. Described as the best player of his generation before the age of 25, a bit like Ronaldo is being talked about now, but with a bit more of the English hype. He never reached his peak due to his injuries and personal problems (he witnessed one of his best mates die from a hit and run at the age of 10). Maybe if he gone to Man Utd, Alex Ferguson would had controlled him better and that would had made him a better player. He was capable of moments of genius just as Maradona and Best did. What's this crap about Duncan Edwards, Come on! Have you ever considered that the people paying tribute to Edwards, were being overly generous to a good friend to make sure his name would never be forgotten. As for the English best 11, Gacoigne will be in it for 100 years to come.
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