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Diego tells English to let it drop

Argentina coach Diego Maradona gestures as he talks to the media during a press conference in Glasgow on Tuesday ahead of an international friendly match against Scotland yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Diego Maradona thinks it’s time the English stopped complaining about the handball goal he scored against their team at the 1986 World Cup. After all, it’s not as though England hasn’t benefited from controversial decisions by a referee.

Maradona has been in Scotland preparing for his debut as Argentina coach but many British journalists are just as interested in his contribution to a 2-1 win over England 22 years ago.

Maradona famously punched the ball into the net for the opening goal of that quarter-final victory — instantly becoming a hate figure in England and burnishing his image as a hero back home — but he said on Tuesday that was no worse than England being awarded a dubious goal during their 1966 World Cup final win.

“England won a World Cup with a goal that was plain to see to everyone that it did not cross the line,” Maradona said. “So I don’t think it is fair that people should judge me when stuff like that goes on.”

England beat West Germany 4-2 in extra time in the ‘66 final, but were only awarded their crucial third goal upon the intervention of a linesman. German players insisted that Geoff Hurst’s shot, which bounced down off the bar, never crossed the line and replays more than 40 years later are still inconclusive.

“He missed by that much,” Maradona said to laughter, holding his hands about a meter apart. “You didn’t have action replays in those days.”

But not everyone is likely to appreciate the humor in Maradona’s remarks.

Scotland assistant manager Terry Butcher was part of the England defense breached by Maradona at the 1986 World Cup and has already said he would not offer his opponent the traditional post-match handshake after yesterday’s friendly in Glasgow.

Maradona also beat Butcher twice in a weaving run before scoring Argentina’s second goal in that win, but the defender was irked by what he saw as deliberate cheating and an initial insistence that nothing untoward had happened.

Not that Maradona is concerned.

“I’m not going to seek him out,” Maradona said through a translator. “I don’t know why Butcher has taken this attitude. I don’t quite understand. I will let Butcher get on with his life and I’ll get on with mine.”

“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. If he doesn’t shake my hand, I’ll still be alive tomorrow,” he said.
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