Overview
- On 20 October 1976 Maradona, aged 15, entered at halftime for Argentinos Juniors wearing number 16 and made his Primera División debut against Talleres de Córdoba.
- Coach Juan Carlos Montes told the youngster to ‘play as you know’ and to attempt a nutmeg, which Maradona executed on defender Juan Domingo Cabrera on his first notable touch.
- Talleres won the match 1-0 with a first-half goal by Luis 'Hacha' Ludueña, so Maradona’s debut did not change the score but quickly signaled his skill to the crowd.
- Rubén Giacobetti, the player he replaced, now recalls pride in giving up his place and says teammates and staff had feared the 15-year-old could be seriously hurt if rushed into first-team play.
- Fiftyth‑anniversary coverage combines archival detail and new eyewitness interviews to frame the substitution and nutmeg as the symbolic start of Maradona’s rise and lasting cultural legend.