This is a big reversal, but Konami made clear that it was willing to do whatever it took to keep one of the sport's most recognizable figures. Konami digital head Takayuki Kubo even went so far as to fly to Argentina to participate directly in the discussions. The bend-over-backwards effort isn't entirely surprising, mind you. PES 2017 is already considered the underdog to EA's FIFA series, and losing Maradona wouldn't exactly have helped Konami compete against its rival.