CUBA: FORMER ARGENTINE SOCCER SUPERSTAR DIEGO MARADONA HAS ACCEPTED ENGLAND'S 1-0 WORLD CUP VICTORY OVER ARGENTINA WITH RESIGNATION
Record ID:
640600
CUBA: FORMER ARGENTINE SOCCER SUPERSTAR DIEGO MARADONA HAS ACCEPTED ENGLAND'S 1-0 WORLD CUP VICTORY OVER ARGENTINA WITH RESIGNATION
- Title: CUBA: FORMER ARGENTINE SOCCER SUPERSTAR DIEGO MARADONA HAS ACCEPTED ENGLAND'S 1-0 WORLD CUP VICTORY OVER ARGENTINA WITH RESIGNATION
- Date: 7th June 2002
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (JUNE 07, 2002) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FORMER ARGENTINE SOCCER STAR DIEGO MARADONA SAYING "It seemed very, very difficult on his part, there are parties and there are parties. It makes me mad but well, the English won. They had to win sometime. TELEVISION SET WITH THE GAME ON IN A CUBAN HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARADONA SAYING "I am sorry for the people of my country that they couldn't have the happiness, but they are going to go on, I say that the teams of history never lose, they are always close to something, something great, and Argentina is a team with history." MARADONA STANDING BY A CAR AS IT PULLS OUT OF THE GARAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARADONA SAYING "The latest team, the team that came after Brazil is that that we stayed there to win the World Cup. I believe that this is the team that for what I most identify with or for the Witch, for the Kili, for the boys that really want to play they are not going to face someone that says "play around, play around and don't have a game" there times when I don't keep my anger to myself, regarding the world because I do not speak nor get out of way of anyone even if a player feels bad with my declarations. I do it. I do it from the place that is Cuba and because of the respect that I have for the soccer players. I do it for good reasons, not to mess with anyone's life. I'm talking about what I said to Guillermo, from the from the Vielsa of not making two points. But this is my opinion. If I cannot say that I like Batistuta and Crespo in the situation, in the moment that we are living in today with England, then I cannot decide that I want, or that it seems to me that one ran sufficiently in order to say these things, to the margin of the goal. MARADONA OPENING THE CAR DOOR AND GETTING INTO THE BACK SEAT Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 22nd June 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA5LRNVP0F252GXOTUWNFLQR73H
- Story Text: Former Argentine soccer superstar Diego Maradona has accepted England's 1-0 World Cup victory over Argentina with resignation, saying defeat at the hands of his country's arch-rivals had to come one day.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters on Friday (June 07), the 41-year-old soccer legend, who scored a controversial victory goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, seemed philosophical about the defeat.
"It makes me mad, but, well, the English won. They had to win sometime," Maradona said.
He added, though, that Argentina had a fine team and it will fight on.
"I say that the teams of history never lose, they are always close to something, something great, and Argentina is a team with history," he said.
The Argentine team lost to England, its greatest rival, 1-0 after English team captain David Beckham scored on a penalty kick minutes before halftime.
The Argentines dominated the second half, but failed to score.
Maradona said he would not have pulled striker Batistuta off in the second half, but would have kept him and Crespo on together to secure the equalizer.
Maradona has lived in Havana since coming to Cuba for drug addiction treatment two years ago.
Though he was initially barred from Japan because of his past history of drug abuse, he will be allowed to enter the country after all, Japanese media said on Friday.
Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama approved Maradona's entry, who has undergone drug rehabilitation treatment in Cuba, to Japan to watch Argentina in the World Cup finals, Kyodo news agency said quoting government sources.
Permission was given after consideration of Maradona's legendary status in the football world he almost single-handedly guided Argentina to World Cup success in 1986 and the infrequency of the World Cup, which is played once every four years, Kyodo said.
Japan's approval came after the Argentine government submitted an official request to the Japanese embassy in Buenos Aires on May 31 for permission for Maradona to enter Japan as the country's tourism and sports envoy.
Maradona was expected to arrive in Japan on Monday (June 10), the sources were quoted as saying. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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