AN ODE TO THE PUMA KING

One of the greatest and most iconic footballing photographs ever - Diego Maradona taking on the Belgian defence single-handedly at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

The thing that I took from this photo when I first saw it and still do?

Diego’s football boots.

The Puma Kings on his feet.

If they were good enough for El Diego in his pomp, they will always be good enough for me. At my school you were either Puma Kings or Adidas Copa's - there was no middle-ground, there was no Nike this and that and there was certainly no room for cheaper imitations. At P.E. we used to line up Kings v Copa's, the Blur v Oasis of my day and battle it out.

Sure I flirted with Asics and Mizuno, I even gave Brooks a try on Gazza’s early 90s recommendation, but then I became a King boy and still am. Under my marital bed is a bag with every pair of Puma Kings I’ve ever owned in it, I cannot bring myself to throw them out and despite my wife’s insistence one day I will have to sort ‘that’ bag out, I never will.

It is my treasure trove.

It is my hotline to Diego.

It is me taking on the Belgium defence single-handedly. 

And I will wear Puma Kings for as long as my ankles filled with sawdust and knees held together with thread and bloody-mindedness allow me to.

You don't have to be as sentimental as Dave to wear the Puma King, but it helps and you can pick up a pair right here.