When Juventus turned down chance to sign Maradona before he joined Napoli | OneFootball

In recent years, when world-class footballers have made the move to Serie A, it has often been predictable that Juventus would be the club securing their signature. Juventus has long held the status of Italy’s most prominent and influential football institution. Despite experiencing a period of relative decline in recent seasons, the club’s historical prestige and stature remain largely intact.

Juventus’ dominance is not confined to the modern era. The club was also among the giants of European and world football during the 1980s, a decade which saw Serie A attract some of the sport’s most iconic talents. It was during this period that Diego Maradona made his fabled move to Italy, joining Napoli and going on to redefine the landscape of Italian football.

Given Maradona’s profound impact on the league, many Juventus supporters may find themselves questioning whether their club was ever in contention to sign the Argentine legend. The thought of such a player donning the black and white stripes inevitably invites speculation about what might have been.

(Photo by Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images)

However, Pierpaolo Marino, the individual responsible for facilitating Maradona’s arrival in Italy, has provided clarity on the matter. As reported by Tuttomercatoweb, Marino revealed that Juventus were indeed approached regarding the potential signing of Maradona, but ultimately declined the opportunity.

In his words:

“Fuiga proposed that I try to get someone in the Italian market to pick up Maradona. The only clubs who could afford him were Juventus, Sampdoria and Inter. I called all three, but none of them accepted. They all turned me down.Fuiga was stunned, he said how is it possible we’re offering Maradona and can’t find a club?”

The decision not to pursue Maradona may seem astonishing in hindsight, considering the immense legacy he went on to build in Italian football. Nonetheless, the Juventus hierarchy at the time would have had its own strategic and financial considerations which influenced that choice. What remains certain is that Maradona’s subsequent success at Napoli left an indelible mark on Serie A—one that perhaps could have unfolded differently had Juventus made a different call.