Great Uncle Fred? I was interested to read your reply to the greatest cricketer question and have been wondering what you would say if you were asked who was the greatest footballer ever. Who was the greatest footballer ever? (Edward, Autumn 2008)

Edward, this time I am not going to come up with a story because I am still so impressed by my memory of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico which Diego Maradona won virtually single-handedly. It is this feat which make me think of him as the greatest ever footballer. You just need to see five seconds film of him playing to see what a wonderfully balanced player he was, skilful as any big cat or bird of prey, but there have been others just about as impressive. It is the combination of this skill and grace with the will-power and leadership needed to take a team all the way to the World Cup itself which marks him out. Pele was in three World Cup winning team but he was surrounded by players very nearly as excellent as he was. Maradona was not. Incidentally, you know that he had some troubles as his career declined and ended? Can you tell me, Edward, why the greatest natural geniuses on the football field find it hard to adapt to life afterwards. Probably the most genuinely gifted players from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland (Paul Gascoigne, Jim Baxter, George Best) all had terrific difficulty adapting. Why is that? But yes, Diego Maradona, to me, without question, the greatest footballer ever. Definitely.

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