When we were just starting to enter the Argentine market, around 1985, we had our first contact with Maradona.

He was still playing in the country and beginning to emerge as the top-notch player who could replace "King" Pelé in the soccer kingdom.

On a night that is unforgettable for Mauricio, he "invaded" the secret training camp where Argentina’s championship team was practicing for the World Cup and was able to talk with "The Pibe" for hours. Maradona thought he would become a little comic character. Just as Pele became Li’l Pele.

Our agent in Argentina at the time, Jorge Fisben, helped with the project, assisted by Maradona’s representative. And Dieguito was born. Together with a whole family of other characters based on Dieguito’s childhood companions.

But when we were starting to prepare the material for launching, Maradona went off to Spain. And when we were beginning to plan the launch in Spain, he went to Italy.

And from then on it was difficult to make plans and keep dates; there were a great many problems involved.

Mauricio abandoned the project.

But it was also a good one, with incredible potential that unfortunately could not be explored.