'Napoli signing Diego Maradona in 1984? The modern equivalent would be if they bought Cristiano Ronaldo today. And that's clearly impossible.' That's the view of 85-year-old Corrado Ferlaino, president of the Italian club between 1983 and 1993.
The comparison, given in a recent interview in the Gazzetta dello Sport, is perfect. The arrival of the Argentine genius for £7million from Barcelona in the summer of 1984 was the coup of the century. Napoli had purchased a young demi-god destined for greatness.
He was explosive, agile and resistant. A squat, slippery figure with a left foot from heaven. Perhaps the finest dribbler in history. His spell in Naples was full of thrills, skills and controversy.
Maradona, born in Lanus, never settled at Barcelona, later moaning that the snooty Catalans made Latin Americans feel like second-class citizens. His stay at the Nou Camp was predictably brief. But no one expected Napoli to nab the Pibe de Oro (golden child).
The curly-haired attacker was heading to a football-mad city, which had been home to big names including Brazilian centre-forward Jose Altafini, imperious stopper Dino Zoff and the classy Dutch sweeper Ruud Krol. But they'd never won the Scudetto.
The people in the chaotic, passionate but poor region wore their emotions on their sleeves and lived life to the full. Call it what you want, latin exuberance, hot blood, a penchant for drama. It all fits.
Maradona was the ideal object for their adoration. He was whole-hearted, flamboyant and capable of miracles. A packed San Paolo Stadium welcomed their saviour on the evening of July 5, 1984.
Wearing a Napoli scarf, he did a few keepy-ups in the centre circle, surrounded by photographers, before a lap of the pitch. It was love at first sight for player and supporters.
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