Maradona’s World Cup quest begins another chapter

In between, there were tears of frustration and despair in Rome after Argentina’s defeat in the 1990 final.

Maradona has pursued the World Cup since he told an interviewer as a 10-year-old that it was his dream to win the trophy.

He goes to South Africa with that goal in mind once again, hoping to emulate Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer by winning the trophy as coach having done so as captain.

It is remarkable to see the sprightly 49-year-old, keen to get on with the job and impervious to criticism of his selection choices and tactics, compared with the bloated beast who almost died of heart failure due to drug abuse six years ago.

Maradona is the arch survivor who also believes he is the man for the job, saying: “I know how to win the World Cup.”

No one doubts his experience as a player but few have faith in his ability, with minimal coaching experience, to get a talented squad of players to act as a coherent unit, something that was lacking during the qualifiers.

He is criticised for believing that winning the World Cup is all about spirit. “You have to put all your heart (in it), you’ve got to give your life,” he said on a recent television chat show.

When Maradona was appointed to succeed the ageing Alfio Basile, who quit, in late 2008, many Argentines believed, once the shock of the decision had passed, that he had the charisma to imbue his team with a winning spirit.

Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona also named the 1986 World Cup-winning coach Carlos Bilardo as technical director of national teams in a move seen as giving the inexperienced Maradona coaching back-up.

However, the proud Maradona likes to do things his way and has not wanted to take advice or help from Bilardo, preferring as he has done all his life to surround himself with yes-men.

Argentina could go all the way, or a well-drilled team with the right tactics could dump Maradona’s side out early on.

Maradona’s reaction to such an outcome is anybody’s guess but he has the safety net of having signed up until next year’s Copa America, the South American championship, in Argentina.