Forty years on, Toulouse still carries the noise of that October night: Diego Maradona stepping forward, Philippe Bergeroo waiting, and a European giant falling beneath the Stadium lights.
On 1 October 1986, Toulouse FC completed one of the defining results in its history by eliminating Napoli and Maradona from the UEFA Cup. Defeated 1-0 in the first leg at the San Paolo, the side from Haute-Garonne won the return 1-0 before prevailing 4-3 on penalties.
Maradona, fresh from lifting the World Cup with Argentina months earlier, missed his penalty when his effort struck the post. Toulouse had removed one of world football’s greatest names in the opening round.
Quick facts
- Toulouse defeated Napoli on penalties in the first round of the 1986-87 UEFA Cup.
- The return leg at the Stadium finished 1-0, levelling a 1-0 first-leg defeat.
- Toulouse won the shoot-out 4-3 after Maradona hit the post with his attempt.
- Alberto “Beto” Marcico had arrived in Toulouse a year before the famous tie.
- A new book, Beto Marcico: A Toulouse Tango, revisits the campaign and its aftermath.
The anniversary is being marked through Beto Marcico: A Toulouse Tango, a book centred on the Argentine playmaker who became a cult figure in the Pink City. It uses a series of testimonies to retrace the extraordinary atmosphere around the Napoli match and the period that made Marcico a Toulouse favourite.
Marcico had joined the club in 1985 and rapidly connected with its supporters through his character and intensity. His name remains closely tied to one of the club’s most cherished eras, with the book following the story beyond Maradona’s failed spot-kick.
It also recounts the celebrations that followed Toulouse’s upset and Marcico’s eventual departure for Buenos Aires six years later. The former midfielder reflects on the European run and what is described as a golden spell for the club.
Published through Amazon KDP, the book is currently available via Amazon. A larger-format edition is planned for bookshops at the start of 2027, when Toulouse FC will celebrate its 90th anniversary.
A musical companion project, Beto de Toulouse, has also been released on streaming services including Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music.
