Birth Name: Diego Armando Maradona
Date of Birth: 30 October, 1960
Place of Birth: Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of Death: 25 November, 2020
Place of Death: Dique Luján, Argentina
Ethnicity: Argentinian [Spanish, Italian, Croatian, Guaraní Indigenous]
Diego Maradona was a legendary Argentinian football player and manager. He is considered one of the best players of all time. He was nicknamed “El Pibe de Oro”, meaning “The Golden Boy.”
Diego was the son of Diego “Chitoro” Maradona and Dalma Salvadora Franco Cariolichi, “Doña Tota.” The surname Maradona is often of Galician origin, from Mar da Dona (Spanish, Mar de la Virgen), meaning “Sea of the Virgin.” The surname can also be Italian. Diego was raised in the shantytown Villa Fiorito, on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires. His family was from Esquina, a small town in Corrientes province. He was the brother of professional football players Raúl Maradona and Hugo Maradona, who was also a coach.
Diego had two daughters with his former wife Claudia Villafañe; a son, footballer Diego Sinagra, with Italian-born Cristiana Sinagra; and a son with his former partner Veronica Ojeda. One of his daughters was married to footballer Sergio Agüero, with whom she has a son.
Diego’s patrilineal line traces to Miguel Fernández de Maradona, who was born, c. 1586, in San Pedro de Arante, Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain. All the Maradonas of Argentina descend from Francisco Fernández de Maradona, who was born, c. 1700, in San Pedro de Arante, Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain, and his wife, Francisca Arias de Molina y Jofré. They moved to Argentina in 1745.
Diego’s paternal grandmother was the daughter of Santiago Maradona. Santiago was born in Mercedes, San Luis Province, Argentina.
Diego’s maternal grandfather was named Atanancio Ramón Edisto Franco.
Diego’s maternal grandmother was Salvadora Kariolić/Cariolichi (the daughter of Matej/Matteo/Mate/Mathaus Kariolić/Cariolichi/Carioli/Kariolich and Trinidad Creole Ferreira). Matej was from Praputnjak, Općina Bakar, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, now Croatia, and was the son of Gašpar/Gasparum Kariolić/Kariolich and Katarina/Catharina Polić/Pollich.
