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In his 60 years, Diego had various facets. Like superheroes. He was a ball magician, singer, TV presenter, dancer, and great headline maker. This last quality was used by Juan Presta, today 68 years old, an Argentine journalist who was a special envoy for "Tiempo Argentina" to Mexico to play his own World Cup. Juan, then, was the hands of "D10s". He transcribed to paper the 19 letter-columns from Maradona, something that Argentines took as if their idol personally wrote to them.
"One day I had about 20 lines left to fill. I couldn't think of anything else to put. Then an Argentine colleague named Héctor Drasser passed by and I asked if he had spoken to Maradona in those days. He says yes, that Maradona talked to him about the churches and he passed me the recording where Maradona asks people to pray for the team. The next day, all the churches in Buenos Aires were full. Who knows when and under what circumstances he said it! But I had nothing else to put and that worked for me. However, I had promised him that I wouldn't put a single line that he didn't say, and I kept it to the letter," Presta tells us over the phone in this interview to find out the behind-the-scenes of the columnist Diego.
- How did the deal come about for Maradona to write a column in the middle of the World Cup?
The contract was signed with Guillermo Coppola in Argentina with the people from "Tiempo Argentino". Before going to Mexico, I found out about the possibility, although the contract wasn't signed yet. It was only when I was there that I was told everything was ready.
- Did you have any preferences to talk to Maradona or how did the meetings happen?
I had the same limitations as the rest of the journalism. They attended every two days. I only had two exclusive interviews with him because I asked for it and he made the arrangement. They let me know where he was coming out, I reached him and asked him two or three questions at most. I guided him towards where the column could go. Then I recorded everything he said and drew conclusions from there.
- What was Diego like in terms of treatment? Was he reluctant to sign a column that, in theory, he didn't write?
At first, he was quite cold because he didn't know me. We weren't friends. He was quite suspicious and he had every right to be, I would be too. Ultimately, I was writing in his name.
- When did everything change?
When Dona Tota called from Buenos Aires and said, "Dieguito, you write so well." From then on, all doubts and suspicions were gone.