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Biographical documentary

Diego Maradona (2019): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

Diego Maradona (2019) movie poster

Diego Maradona is a 2019 biographical documentary directed by Asif Kapadia, starring Pelé, Dalma Maradona and Gianni Minà. It runs 2 hours 10 minutes and earned $2.8 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Documentary at the BAFTA 2020. Critics gave it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.

IMDb rating
7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes
91%
worldwide gross
$2.8M
award nomination
1
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Diego Maradona (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 10m (130 min)
Director
Asif Kapadia
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Diego Maradona About?

The premise of Diego Maradona without spoilers.

This documentary explores the remarkable life of Diego Maradona, a legendary figure in soccer known for his exceptional talent and controversial behavior. It examines his rise to fame, his impact on the sport, and the personal struggles that shadowed his career. Through archival footage and insightful commentary, the film reveals the complexities of a man who captivated the world and left an indelible mark on the game.

Diego Maradona Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • naples italy
  • football
  • soccer documentary
  • soccer
  • drug abuse
  • archive footage
  • rise and fall
  • superstar
  • argentinian abroad
  • pitch
  • professional soccer player
  • career
+38 more
  • multi millionaire sportsman
  • genius
  • reference to diego maradona
  • rags to riches
  • twenty something
  • young man
  • soccer player
  • italian soccer
  • italian football
  • celebration
  • soccer stadium
  • argentinian football player
  • argentinian sportspeople
  • sportsmanship
  • professional sportsman
  • sportsman
  • sports documentary
  • argentinian in europe
  • argentinian in spain
  • argentinian in italy
  • argentinian sportsman
  • football player
  • retrospective
  • sports star
  • subject name in title
  • sports injury
  • foul
  • fatherhood
  • goal
  • world championship soccer
  • 1986 fifa world cup
  • 1990 fifa world cup
  • soccer sport
  • year 1986
  • high life
  • reference to the camorra
  • reference to organized crime
  • drug use
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Cast & crew

Diego Maradona Cast

Pelé leads the cast, with Dalma Maradona and Gianni Minà. Directed by Asif Kapadia; 18 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Asif Kapadia

More films directed by Asif Kapadia, best-rated first: Senna, Amy, The Warrior and Ali and Nino.

Full filmography
Ratings

Diego Maradona Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Diego Maradona 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10. Our Echo Score gives it 80/100, strongest in art & craft (85) and weakest in story & flow (75).

80 /100

Diego Maradona Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, Diego Maradona excels as a richly detailed documentary that balances archival intimacy with narrative focus. Kapadia’s direction and editing weave a coherent portrait from disparate footage, while the film’s emotional arc captures the tragic grandeur of its subject. Some viewers note structural narrowness around the Napoli years and occasional visual roughness. Nevertheless, the interplay of archival depth, biographical insight, and compelling storytelling sustains engagement. The film ultimately offers a resonant exploration of genius and downfall that remains powerfully immersive.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 85

    In terms of art and craft, Diego Maradona showcases Kapadia’s meticulous direction and editing that repurpose archival footage into a unified narrative. The cinematography balances grainy period material with dynamic framing, and production design coheres through contextual visuals. Occasional roughness in image quality hints at budget constraints. Overall, the film’s art and craft reinforce its contemplative yet immersive tone.

  • Character & Emotion 80

    In terms of character and emotion, the documentary presents a nuanced portrayal of Maradona’s dual persona, highlighting both his humble origins and his larger-than-life legend. Archival interviews and emotional sequences convey authenticity, though some viewers wish for deeper exploration of later life phases. Overall, the character dimension resonates with empathetic insight.

  • Story & Flow 75

    When it comes to story and flow, Diego Maradona maintains a compelling arc through measured pacing and chronological focus on the Napoli years. The narrative coherently links his rise, peak, and downfall, though its narrow timeframe limits broader biographical context. Structural unevenness emerges in episodic transitions. Overall, the storytelling remains engaging despite occasional focus constraints.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    In terms of sensory experience, the film’s sound design and soundtrack underscore emotional highs, pairing period music with match audio. Visual style blends archival footage with clean archival restoration, producing occasional contrasts between grain and clarity. The documentary’s cohesive audio-visual design enhances immersion, despite moments of sonic imbalance. Overall, the sensory palette is engaging and evocative.

  • Rewatch Factor 80

    When it comes to rewatch factor, Diego Maradona offers substantial replay value through rich archival moments and layered narrative nuance. Subsequent viewings reveal deeper emotional insights and contextual details missed initially. Some viewers may find the narrow Napoli focus reduces varied intrigue on repeat. Overall, the film sustains lasting appeal for documentary enthusiasts.

Box office

Diego Maradona Box Office

Diego Maradona grossed $2.8 million worldwide.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$2.8M

International
$2.8M
Awards

Diego Maradona Awards & Nominations

Diego Maradona earned 1 award nomination, including Best Documentary at the BAFTA 2020.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

Diego Maradona Trailers & Videos

5 videos: 2 trailers, 1 clip and 2 featurettes.

OFFICIAL TRAILER
  • Trailer Diego Maradona (2019): Official Trailer | HBO
  • Clip Film4 Clip
  • Featurette Asif Kapadia on Diego Maradona | Film4 Interview
  • Featurette LIVING ROOM Q&As: Diego Maradona with Asif Kapadia
Details

Diego Maradona Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “Дієго Марадона” and “디에고 마라도나”.

Also known as
  • Дієго Марадона
  • 디에고 마라도나
  • 디에고
  • 马拉多纳
  • Диего Марадона
  • Ντιέγκο Μαραντόνα
  • Дієґо Марадона
  • דייגו מראדונה
  • Djego Maradona
  • 真球王馬勒當拿
  • Huyền Thoại Diego Maradona
  • 世紀球王 馬拉度納

Seen Diego Maradona?

FAQ

Diego Maradona FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Diego Maradona, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Diego Maradona?

Diego Maradona runs 2 hours 10 minutes (130 minutes).

When was Diego Maradona released?

Diego Maradona was released on September 20, 2019.

Who directed Diego Maradona?

Diego Maradona was directed by Asif Kapadia.

More films by Asif Kapadia

Who is in the cast of Diego Maradona?

Diego Maradona stars Pelé, Dalma Maradona and Gianni Minà, among 18 credited actors.

How much did Diego Maradona make at the box office?

Diego Maradona grossed $2.8 million worldwide.

How is Diego Maradona rated?

Diego Maradona has 7.7/10 on IMDb, 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic and 74% on TMDB.

Was Diego Maradona nominated for any awards?

Diego Maradona received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Diego Maradona have a post-credit scene?

No. Diego Maradona has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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