( CNN ) -- Diego Maradona was a mesmerizing presence on the pitch during four World Cup finals as a player . When he returned to football 's biggest stage in 2010 as coach of Argentina , it soon became clear that his capacity to entertain remained undimmed . His theatrical displays from the touchline during Argentina 's matches became one of the unexpected highlights of the tournament . Mike Hewitt , senior staff photographer at Getty Images , had a ringside seat as Maradona took charge for his first competitive World Cup finals match against Nigeria at Johannesburg 's Ellis Park Stadium . `` You just know that this was going to be a worldwide story , '' Hewitt told CNN 's Sports Photo Masterclass series . `` I decided to try and sit as close to the dugout as I could get away with -- just to get a portrait or a reaction shot . I wanted to get in , get that feeling of what it 's like to be part of that bench when and if Argentina scored . '' It 's quite a careful balancing act taking photos in these situations , '' adds Hewitt . `` You do n't want to get too close and start upsetting someone . `` But Maradona did n't seem to care . I do n't think he even noticed I was there . '' When Gabriel Heinze 's diving header had the net bulging in the sixth minute , Hewitt took his chance . `` Obviously , there 's a huge element of luck involved in it , '' the photographer concedes , pointing to the substitute on the left of the photo who jumped out of the dugout when he celebrated . `` I 'm glad he did it there and not bang in front of Maradona or I would have missed the picture . '' It 's an iconic image , he thinks -- one that brings Maradona 's World Cup story up to date . `` He 's a man that practically won it single-handedly for Argentina back in 1986 ( in Mexico ) and then was banned , '' Hewitt says referring to Maradona 's ignominious exit from the 1994 U.S. tournament after testing positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine . `` For him to them come back as coach for the Argentinian team -- the whole world wants to know what 's going to happen . '' Maradona 's last finals as a player in 1994 was also the scene of Hewitt 's debut as a World Cup photographer . Back then he was still using film , sending reels back to the office for processing with pictures ready for clients usually within a couple of hours . `` In Brazil , I 'll be sending pictures instantly to the editors within a second of it actually happening , '' says Hewitt . `` It will be edited and cropped and captioned and then beamed to the world so people have it in two minutes . '' Technology has n't just helped make sports photography become more efficient , it 's also helped it evolve . `` You 're constantly under pressure because it 's a competitive industry , '' adds Hewitt . `` There might be upwards of 200 photographers on the pitch and people are just looking for the absolute best image of a particular incident . '' Hewitt , 52 , has thrived in that cutthroat environment , and came up trumps a second time in South Africa when he captured the moment Dutchman Nigel de Jong 's right boot violently connected with Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso 's chest . `` It was a very feisty final . It happened very quickly , out of the blue , so I was just fortunate that I was in the right position to get the kung fu kick . '' Sitting on the touchline level with the 18-yard line , Hewitt took the shot using his 400 mm lens . `` Because it was a night game under floodlights you 're shooting wide open -- a very large aperture -- so the depth of field on these images is very small , maybe about six inches . `` But it 's good because it throws the background out ( of focus ) completely and isolates the players very well . I must have shot it at about 1/1,000th of a second . '' De Jong escaped with a booking -- one of 14 in the match -- but the tackle became perhaps the defining image of the final which Spain went onto win 1-0 after extra time . `` It 's quite an iconic image from a World Cup final -- they do n't come around very often , '' Hewitt says . `` There 's a large element of luck involved -- being in the right place at the right time -- but you still have to get the image . '' Hewitt experience extends across the sporting spectrum with a portfolio that includes six Olympic Games , four cricket World Cups , four rugby World Cups and two round the world yacht races to his name . For now , another World Cup final at Rio 's Maracana Stadium awaits Hewitt . Not bad for a man who started out as an amateur snapper shooting park football on Hackney Marshes in east London . `` We get to go to some great places and cover some great events . I had the pleasure of photographing the Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti ( in 2013 ) which was magnificent , '' he says . `` It 's times like these where you think : 'well , life does n't get any better . ' '' Next week , Mike Hewitt discusses an incredible image of Lionel Messi in full flow .
Getty photographer Mike Hewitt captured iconic image of Maradona . Former World Cup winner coached Argentina in theatrical style . Hewitt also took image of stand out moment in 2010 final . Nigel de Jong 's kung-fu kick on Xabi Alonso shocked those watching .