Menotti's scouting report for Barcelona on Maradona Barcelona Before the Blaugrana signed him

Cesar Luis Menotti produced a report on Diego Maradona in 1978 and delivered it to Barcelona, who were interested in signing his compatriot.

The Argentine forward arrived at Barcelona four years later from Boca Juniors.

Menotti's report was written after a game between Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors and was the first piece of information Barcelona received on the forward.

Maradona was just 17 years old and stood out because of the skills he showed on the Argentine pitches.

Menotti underlined all of the qualities of the 1986 World Cup winner, who was just a young prodigy at the time.

PLAYER REPORT: Diego Armando Maradona

GRADING ASSESSMENT: Very good, extraordinary. Speed 9.5. Starting Speed 9.5. With Ball 9.1. Without Ball 9.5. Agility 9.5. Jump power 8.

MORAL CONDITION: Mental strength 10. Power of suffering 10. Concentration 10. Selfish 0. Personality 10.

GENERAL TECHNIQUE: Unbeatable

SPECIFIED TECHNIQUE: Extraordinary, effective and just dribbling. Excellent power. Extraordinary courage. Extraordinary efficiency. Very good shot. Great passing. Total accuracy. Complete vision. Average heading. Good leadership. Very good power to retain the ball. Extraordinary ball protection.

INDIVIDUAL TACTICS: Complete intelligence in football. Complete sense for football. Good view. Very good speed in efficiency.

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS: Young. He was born on 30/10/1960. He has prodigious technical qualities, easy dribbling. He has a straight line vision facing the goal, but he knows how to get rid of the ball for the best placed teammate. Extraordinary reflexes. He protects the ball very well to play it immediately with great efficiency. His short passes and shots are pure wonder. Prodigious changes of pace.