The advice that Pele gave Diego Maradona and could have changed his life

Diego Armando Maradona died at the age of 60, after an intense and emotive life. The Argentine transformed himself into a legend for being one of the best soccer players, compared to Lionel Messi, Pele or Alfredo Di Stéfano. But off the pitch, he had many problems not linked to soccer that complicated his life.

When he was just 19 years old, and he was a youth with incredible conditions, the magazine El Gráfico reunited Maradona with Pele. The Brazilian received a journalist and Diego in his house at Río de Janeiro, Brazil, and was asked to give some advises to his successor that was yet a kid.

Pele told Maradona, between many things, to take care of his body. The historical three-time World Cup winner told him that the body was a working tool and that he should use it wisely. He said that in life there was time to do a lot of things, but always with balance and without provoking damage to the body.

Maradona then exploded as a soccer player and seemed to forget the tips received by Pele. During all his life he didn’t take care of his body and he experienced several health issues. At the age of 60 he could hardly walk and, after being hospitalized, he died in his house at Buenos Aires.