While the Albiceleste legend won the Golden Ball, a stalwart keeper and a veteran group of gritty midfielders laid the groundwork for success in Qatar.
The popular myth has it that the 1986 World Cup final was about Diego Maradona and 10 others, as though he had single-handedly led a band of no-hopes to glory—which, clearly, was not the case. Maradona was the outstanding player and that team was set up for him, but Jorge Valdano was a classy center forward, Jorge Burruchaga an intelligent runner from midfielder and Sergio Batista a composed and physically imposing holding midfielder.