The history of Serie A could have been drastically different.

Pierpaolo Marino, the man credited with bringing Diego Armando Maradona to Napoli in 1984, has revealed that Italy’s biggest clubs — Juventus, Inter Milan and Sampdoria — all turned down the chance to sign the Argentine icon.

"In 1984, Diego had a falling-out with Barcelona and his agent was looking for a new club," Marino told Sky Italia. "At that time, the only Italian teams who could realistically afford him were Juventus, Sampdoria and Inter. I called all three. They all said no."

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Just 23 years old at the time, Maradona had only been in Europe for two seasons following his move from Argentinos Juniors to Barcelona. Despite his talent, top Serie A clubs weren’t willing to take the risk — but Napoli seized the moment.

"A few nights later, I was having dinner with Antonio Juliano, Napoli’s sporting director, who told me they were looking for a foreign player. I mentioned Diego, and initially he said ‘no’. But just 10 minutes later, he called me back. The next morning, we had a meeting... and the rest is history."

Maradona joined Napoli in 1984 and became a legend. During his seven-year spell, he led the club to two Serie A titles, a UEFA Cup, a Coppa Italia, and a Supercoppa Italiana. The Stadio San Paolo would later be renamed the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in his honor.

What could have been a career in Turin, Milan, or Genoa, instead became a defining chapter in football history — one that changed Napoli forever.