Diego Maradona gestures during a news conference in Naples February 26, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
BERLIN: Football legend Diego Maradona has slammed the Argentine Football Association (AFA) by accusing those in charge of "understanding as much about football as Pakistan does".
The 53-year-old won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina and coached the South Americans at South Africa 2010, where they crashed out with a 4-0 defeat to Germany in the quarter-finals.
A footballing icon, Maradona won league titles in Spain, Italy and Argentina, but has never transferred his playing success to coaching.
In the wake of the failed World Cup bid four years ago, Maradona publically fell out with AFA president Julio Grondona and the national team's director Carlos Bilardo, accusing the pair of sacking him.
Four years on, Maradona has not forgiven the AFA and hit out at his former employers, comparing them to the Pakistan Football Federation, who are ranked 158th in the world.
"The AFA has played dirty tricks on me. I should have also been the Argentina coach at the World Cup (at Brazil 2014). But the current leaders of the association understand as much about football as Pakistan does," Maradona told Sport Bild.
"They don't have a clue at all.
"To clarify: There are certainly many good things in Pakistan, but I have never seen them play a World Cup final.
"I say: The current association leaders in Argentina are the same as Pakistan."
Argentina start their World Cup campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 15 and also face Nigeria and Iran in Group F.
COMMENTS (46)
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I want to tell Maradona that you see our kids in street foot ball cup ?There is much telent but no one there whose help those Telender.and how pakistan weak in foot ball that much argentina weak in cricket.
Thanks for the share.. Is there any other news about Maradona coming to Pakistan?
@Mirza: Ha ha most honest people was sentence to jail in UK.
Alien1: "Pakistan is going to issue a fatwa on maradona soon!!!"
Pakistan should pass a resolution against Maradona in its National Assembly.
shame najam sethi cant say the same about the cricket association people in Argentina. they would obviously know more about cricket than 35 puncture najam sahab..
Pakistan is going to issue a fatwa on maradona soon!!!
Cricket destroy our sports culture .. Most of the media always after showing cricket and force people o just watch and like cricket. We really need football and hockey as they r fastest sports of world.
This is a disgrace .. and people are congratulating each other ... utter disgrace ...
That is a mean comment. I thought by being close to Fidel Castro, he would have favourable opinion about other countries. . At least we didn;t go bankrupt twice like Argentina.
ET,where is my comment?You dont want to show a factual rebuttal to some misinformed Pakistani??
Maradona on Pakistan...his experience must have been on coaching assignment in Middle East, where probably the cabbie didn't recognise him...even if he had told the cabbie, he's Maradona...he must have shrugged his shoulders...Maradona Who???
Some legends are a disgrace, for selling themselves to bad talk about other country or using other country as an example. Favorite sport in Pakistan is Cricket ! not everyone Loves football and not everyone loves cricket. LEARN PUBLIC SPEAKING !!
Pakistan's fame extends all the way to Argentina. Pakistan is truly famous...or infamous depending on your POV.
@MAD: May be he want to coach Pakistan team.
Every one making an example of whatever bad remarks happening in the world and first thought they came in there mind is none other than pakistan.
Sorry, Pakistani friends and brethren, Pakistan usually is considered as the benchmark for anything bad and wrong in the world. One ought to only read what the world's diplomats and others say at United Nations parties and receptions about Pakistan. But you can hardly fault these people -- Pakistan has become a stone-age country with very little chance of coming out of it.
Now Liyari people are planning to protest against his remarks :P
If we didnt make world football at least Pakistan has the best beer that even Bruce Willis underage daughter was caught drinking so one cant have everything
@water bottle: Sure, join United Nation pal! i am not being ignorant, but all the things happen in the world really happens right?? so this news is one of them!! cheers!!
C'mon guys. This is same as Afridi or Misbah derogating anyone for understanding the cricket as Brazilians does.
This is an insult to all pakistanis
Nice comment..LIke it..and ppl please stop bashing Pakistan in every thing. We are not good in football like Argentina , Germany etc are not good in Cricket...
Read between the lines. Hint: Pakistan should gather all their resources and ask Maradona to coach Pakistan Football team. Give them a chance to do wonders to themselves,
Great , atleast he knows about PFF, and Pakistan He is a legend
Maradona was famous for creating controversies but i see this remark in light humour sense.
yeah probably good day for Pak football association, got tagged in good talk by world football arena..really shamefull as we are wasting our talent
finally the football legend recognized the talent in Pakistan. Congratulations to all Pakistan :P
How many countries are ranked below us?
Sadly that is the case! Pakistan has potential as a footballing nation - but only potential!
And for those of you who are wondering, the team is selected on merit! But we are just not good enough yet! Our system is quite weak and without a better league, we will remain in the doldrums of International football.
Maradona war once a notorious Junky so it is obvious that Pakistan has for him a lifelong association......a country where a dose of heroin is cheaper than a meal!
trolls and self hating pakistanis, read: To clarify: "There are certainly many good things in Pakistan"
Maradona loves us really, We will gladly share secrets about reverse swing, and cricket in return for his wisdom regarding football.
I'm oddly flattered by Maradona's comment:) He acknowledges there are many good things about us...though not our football team obviously.
Glad to know that the legend has a good knowledge on Pakistani football. Making world's best footballs in Sialkot and ranking in the game as 158 is a real shame for Pakistan. Infact we are good in playing football in the NA.
200 million Pakistan...can not get 12 good footballers.. but plenty of cricketers who never get the chance to play in National Team.
Big day for Pakistan..Congrats on entering world football arena...
So what, Pakistan is what 170ish in FiFa rankings. In the same syntax Maradona could have been saying Indian or Srilanka. Maradona knows about Pakistani football, that's enough.
Haha
Just wondering how and why he thought of Pakistan at the time.
Shameful for us.
I am sure all the football officials in Pakistan would be laughing and smiling for being in the news and would never learn a lesson, SIGH!!!!!!!
Thanks man, At least you know Us there..!!