大象传媒

World Cup 2006 Blog

From our reporters in Germany

Maradona mayhem

mandeep_sanghera.gifThere I am sitting in the press box reporting on the Brazil v Australia game and who goes and strolls past me and takes up a pew a few rows down from me - just the great Diego Maradona.

Naturally, he came up to me and asked about how I was doing and asked after my family before arranging to hook up so we could trade stories and football tricks. I WISH!!

The big man (or not so big anymore) was puffing on a cigar and had been given a seat in amongst the crowd. What a shocker.

I thought this was asking for trouble - and indeed suddenly cameras and people popped out from nowhere to get a glimpse or shot of him.

The match had already started when he sat down but, forget that, this is Maradona and suddenly he was attracting more attention around him than Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and their superstar mates.

It chilled after about five to 10 minutes as fans remembered the actual reason from coming to the Allianz Arena.

But Maradona stayed in the back of people's minds and, sure enough, at half-time he was starting to get a bit mobbed before some officials ushered him away. There was a bit of commotion but then it is Diego.

So, there I am at Spain v Tunisia the next day and who should stroll by me and to a seat in the media box. Yep, you've guessed - Diego. (He wanted to reconfirm the date for our hooking up!!)

He'd had a shave and there was no cigar as he stuck on some headphones to do some commentary.

Heads turned, cameras appeared and he was the centre of attention again. There were stewards either side of the row he was sitting on to protect him and people had to be content with pics from afar.

And by the way, the media lot were just as guilty as some of the fans at trying to snap their Diego moment...

Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 11:29 AM on 20 Jun 2006,
  • ayite wrote:

What is all the fuss about Ghana's John Painstil displaying the Israeli flag!

The lad makes a living playing his club football in Israel,he has made that country his second home. Any body who tries to read any form of geo-politics into the actions of an obviously elated football after a sweet victory should bow his or her head in shame.

After all is there any rule in the FIFA book which prohibits a player from displaying the colours of another country aside his own?

Leave him alone.

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  • 2.
  • At 11:39 AM on 20 Jun 2006,
  • ayite wrote:

Is that the real brazilian team "THE SELECAO" on display at the worl cup?

If it is, then that is a shambolic team churning out horrendous performances aginst their opponents who may not be endowed with superstars but are playing like superstars.

They should leave Ronaldo alone. He may be fat but he is not the team. There are 10 other players on the field so if Ronaldo is the weak link,why can't the rest work for him?

Shame on the entire team. World champions my foot.

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  • 3.
  • At 01:39 PM on 20 Jun 2006,
  • Joakim wrote:

ayite: When it comes to Israel and Palestine that affair is infected enough for anyone not to think of it should someone wave an Israeli flag.

Football is not politics and therefore all politics, even waving another nations flag, should be left out. Doesn't matter which flag it is, waving a flag is a statement and statements of that kind does not belong at a football stadium.

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  • 4.
  • At 04:47 PM on 20 Jun 2006,
  • wrote:

Sometimes living legends make others less important with their presence. Maradona is a player of that class who can change the environment all on a sudden just being himself present. There is hardly anything that can turn more focus than he can. So, the incident occurred in the presence of this legend is very usual. Whatever he do, whatever he say get much focus in the public.

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  • 5.
  • At 03:26 AM on 21 Jun 2006,
  • Faris wrote:

Two Diego moments in two days, wow, I'd be lucky to have one in my life time. I'm one of those who thinks he was the greatest footballer of all time, and he deserves all the attention he gets.

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  • 6.
  • At 02:32 PM on 21 Jun 2006,
  • A Minogue wrote:


Maradona is and will always be known as the best footballer of all time. What a privilege to have been in his company. I hope you got his autograph.

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