In The Hands Of The Gods

Sami grew up in Saudi Arabia and Somalia playing football in the streets with a ball made of plastic bags, elastic bands and a stone. No equipment, just passion. Fleeing civil war in Somalia, Sami and his mother came to Leeds. Like Maradona, Sami found football a refuge in difficult times – practising freestlye moves whenever he could.

Sami came to the attention of producers making a TV show about football freestylers - flooring them with his skills. Meeting Maradona is an opportunity for Sami to shake the hand of someone who showed him there was hope. A way out of a difficult life.

As a kid Danny perfected his accuracy by smashing a ball against the walls of his estate. The appearance of 'NO BALL GAMES' signs just gave Danny better targets. Noisier ones.

Working for Arsenal on the YTS scheme, Danny entertained trainees with his exceptional skills and tricks. Here he met Woody. The pair built a friendship based on their love of football, outstanding abilities and their absolute desperation to meet Diego Maradona.

When he was 10, Woody watched a video of Maradona every single night. Desperate to be like his hero, Woody did anything Diego did - freestyled with oranges, rolled up socks - anything. At 14 Woody could do every trick on the video. Brilliantly.

Woody identifies with Maradona - the tricks, the persona, the passion for success. All Diego needed was an obsession for the game and a ferocious ability. That made sense to Woody. Meeting Diego meant more to Woody than anything else.

In 2000 Jeremy saw two footballers freestyling on TV. He wanted to do it – to be as good as them. Jeremy practised at least five hours a day, never satisfied until he'd mastered a new trick. Now rated as the best freestlyer in Europe, Jeremy stuns the freestlye circuit with his skills. On top of his football tricks, Jeremy's also a talented musician and award-winning artist.

Deeply religious, Jeremy is very active at his local church, running schemes for the kids, teaching them football and playing in the church band. Meeting Maradona was a chance for him to come face to face with one of his idols, even if it meant coming face to face with some of his demons on the road.

Mikey grew up on the same Liverpool streets as Wayne Rooney. After watching him show-off in the local park the future Man Utd star nicknamed Mikey 'Tricks'. Some praise. In 2003 Mikey trounced 8,000 other competitors to win the Nike National Freestyle Championships. For him, beating all those people in front of a huge crowd was a real buzz.

A buzz he still gets every time he performs. Mikey, has always been the joker and the clown, and like Diego, he is the ultimate show off. It was through freestyle however that he finally wanted people to sit up and take him seriously.