Pretoria: Argentina coach Diego Maradona says that Brazilian star Luis Fabiano can score all the goals he wants off unwhistled handballs, but there is only one "Hand of God" goal.
The Argentine legend, who famously netted his controversial goal with a handball against England in a 1986 World Cup quarter-final, spoke here today ahead of his team`s final Group B match on Tuesday against Greece.
Maradona did not miss the chance to tweak rival Brazil and Fabiano, who admitted after yesterday`s 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast that his second goal was scored after the ball bounced off his hand and shoulder.
"Brazil is not playing well as it is," he said. "But Brazil can take it all, even if they have to use their arms."
After the ball went in off his hand in 1986 in what was eventually a 2-1 victory over England, Maradona`s landmark line was that the goal was "a little bit the head of Maradona and a little bit the hand of God."
When asked about Fabiano comparing his goal to Maradona`s win "Hand of God" feat, the hero of Argentina`s run to the 1986 World Cup crown said there is simply no comparison. No no, he had it on the arms. It`s quite obvious. Twice he hit the ball on his arm," Maradona said.
French referee Stephane Lannoy, however, made the bigger impression upon Maradona by laughing with Fabiano moments after missing the handball call.
"The tragi-comic thing was the referee`s smile after the goal," Maradona said. "I didn`t see the referee when I scored the goal against England.
"Yesterday the referee was laughing. What do you say to that, Brazil is not playing too well but Brazil manages to score when it is necessary."
Maradona also had a rough assessment for European sides, notably France after a rift between its coach and top players, pre-Cup favorite Spain after a first-match loss to Switzerland and Italy after the Azzurri settled for a 1-1 draw with New Zealand.
"I`m a bit disappointed with France," Maradona said. “France is not having the best of times. The intrinsic value of the players in France should get them on a higher level.
"Spain, I think they will do well. The way Spain started, they were coming to pick up the World Cup and we were all playing for second place. Italy, my God. It must be a huge
scandal in Italy when they see that. I think they are all going to make it (to the last 16)."
When it comes to South America`s World Cup dominance, an unbeaten run over the World Cup`s first 10 days, Maradona chalks it up to tough qualifying, the same path that his side struggled through last year.
"The qualifying round in South America is quite competitive," Maradona said. "Europe has tough qualifying but you can also end up playing the Faroe Islands. South America has teams that are fit for a World Cup."
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.