On Flashback Fridays I reflect back on some of my past travels and travel mishaps before I started this blog: Follow at #FlashbackFri.
Argentina has two national heroes: Eva Peron and Diego Maradona. Maradona in particular is treated like a god in the colourful Buenos Aires neighbourhood of La Boca. It was in La Boca where his football career kicked off while he was playing for the Boca Juniors football club.
Boca Juniors stadium
When we walked around this beautiful neighbourhood we couldn’t help but notice that there were images and statues of this guy everywhere. And when I say everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE: in shops, on balconies and on walls. Maradona seemed to be omnipresent.
This was of course much to the disgust of Chris, who as a Brit, still hasn’t gotten over this whole hand of god incident during the 1986 World Cup. For those of you who are not familiar with this story Argentina beat England in this World Cup quarter final due to one of the most controversial goals in football history (the most controversial one in my opinion is of course the one when England beat Germany in the 1966 World Cup final through a ‘goal’ during which the ball fell on the line, but definitely not over). Chris and I can argue about this for hours.
Anyway, what happened during the Argentina/England quarter final was that Maradona hit an incoming ball into the net with his fist, before the English goalkeeper could get to it. It was a clear handball, but neither the referee nor the linesmen saw the incident so the goal stood. Maradona didn’t even deny the fact that it was a handball and cheekily called it the hand of god after the game. In general Brits like to hold a grudge (as a German who lived in the UK for 8 years I know that all too well 🙂 ), but when it comes to football they really really like to hold a grudge. To this day the Argentinian football team is England’s biggest football enemy (closely followed by Germany of course).
So can you imagine Chris’ reaction when we walked around La Boca and we saw this man that suspiciously looked like England’s and therefore Chris’ arch enemy? At first we weren’t really sure if it was Maradona, but he was the same height, had the same stature and he had an 80ies style mullet. He was even wearing a football shirt. It must be him! Mentally Chris had already prepared his speech outlining his disgust about the 1986 incident, but then we found out that it was in fact NOT Maradona. It was just a doppelganger. So what gave him away? Some tourists asked him if they can take a photo of him and he wanted to charge them money to do so! Even Maradona wouldn’t do that.
Would you have fallen for this doppelganger?
So this is the time I thought I met Maradona, but actually didn’t. Have you ever met a celebrity during your travels? Tell me in the comment section below.
Similar Posts :
When travelling, I think it is important to connect with local people as much as possible. Trave ...
When Chris and I first visited Buenos Aires a few years ago, the first thing that struck us was ...
Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, is a beautiful city with lots of exciting neighborhoods, or b ...
haha saw probably the same doppelganger! He seriously came to me and said: I’m Diego Maradonna, do you want to take a photo with me? 😛
Stef recently posted…Bi-weekly Travel Inspiration #6
No way! How cheeky! He must have changed tactics since we saw him then. 😉
I have been in the same room as some famous people and met one or two but they were all accidents to say the least. Its funny because the whole time reading I am like watch ends up being someone who just looked like him or something. That guys looks like a football that stopped working out and just started eating. The mullet is classic!
Thomas recently posted…Bahamas All Inclusive Weekend Getaways
Yeah he so looked like an ex footballer (i.e. overweight). And that mullet-it had to be him. Oh well, maybe next time… 🙂
That’s brilliant! He really does look like him! Love all the colourful buildings, statues and murals!
Helen recently posted…Teaching in China – Dodging Bikes & Getting Lost in Translation
Thanks Helen! I loved La Boca. It had such a bohemian atmosphere to it.
We’d heard of the impersonator before, so he wouldn’t have fooled us. We’d love to go to a Boca game. Against River Plate would be amazing. The club of the people vs the pijos (snobs).
Gran Canaria Local recently posted…Tasartico
Me too! Unfortunately there wasn’t a game on when we went, but we went to Brazil afterwards and managed to watch a derby in the Maracanã stadium in Rio, which was also amazing!
I love doppelgangers! So cool, esp famous ones
Andrea recently posted…On the Road In Maine
Me too! This guy was hilarious and apparently he is still doing his little trick now. Must be making decent money with it. 🙂
Ahahahah, what a funny story. The guy really looked like Maradona!
Thanks Stefania! Yeah, it is creepy how some people are a spitting image of others without being related.
You’re so funny with your doppelganger stories! And I’m lmao at his ’80s mullet. Geez! I’ve seen a few celebrities on flights to/from L.A. before, but that’s not unusual here.
Dana Carmel @ Time Travel Plans recently posted…Ummm…This is NOT a Class 1 Rapid! (Rafting in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic)
That mullet is just so stereotypical, but a classic. I am not surprised he chose that as his hairstyle Dana! 😉
That guy did look like Maradona though. We never met a celebrity during our travels, not yet. It would have been interesting to know the story if that man was the real Maradona and Chris managed to do his mentally prepared speech 🙂
Franca recently posted…The Slow Bus Alternative to the Laos Slow Boat
Yeah, I think he should have delivered his speech anyway. That would have been funny. Rather than charging money for photos, he would have probably given Chris money to go away. 😉
Nice post!! I really thought it was going to be the real Maradona! I met a fake one too when I was out in Buenos Aires a few years back. Jonny
Jonny Blair recently posted…World Travellers: Will Peach From The Gonzo Traveller
That’s so funny. I know someone else who saw him about 6 months ago. It must be profitable what he is doing. 🙂
Haha. Your story is hilarious. I once met supermodel Patricia Velasquez eating at a restaurant in front of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. I overheard her speaking Spanish and started a conversation. She gave me her number and invited me to be an extra at the Mummy 2. She was there on a weekend trip vacationing from filming the movie in London. I was 13 years old and the luckiest boy ever. Once I got to London I couldn’t find her number – my world was shattered :O
Alex Saad recently posted…Hack Your Airfare to Asia: Taiwan Edition
Ha ha, that’s funny! Gutted though about losing her number. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. 🙂