Down memory lane: When Maradona met Nigeria

[cic old boy]

The legendary Diego Maradona died a month ago at the age of 60, but the man himself said people will be talking about him long after he was gone.

Maradona Confidential, a documentary made last year, and shown on the National Geographic channel, focused mainly on his time with Napoli, but also offered an insight into the 1994 World Cup Group D second round game between Argentina and Nigeria at Foxborough, Massachusetts, which turned out to be the great man’s last match for his country, as he was kicked out of the tournament for failing a routine dope test after the game.

Argentina won 2-1, thanks to two goals from Claudio Caniggia and the genius of Maradona. Teammate Abel Balbo took up the story in the film.

‘The match against Nigeria was very difficult, because Nigeria was an extraordinary team. Not only technically, physically they were real beasts. “These guys will kill us today. What do we do?”

‘What does Diego do before the game? The Nigerians were all there in the tunnel, the referee, and Argentina still to arrive. Diego went in first and started to hug all the Nigerians, one by one. “Oh brother, my friend”. They hugged him. They couldn’t believe it, he named each of the Nigerians by name. They couldn’t believe that Diego knew all their names. They surrounded him, they greeted him, they asked if after the game they could take pictures, it was surreal. So what happens? The game begins and they didn’t touch Diego. And we won the game thanks to that quick thinking, and to Diego’s genius quick free kick, and we won.’

Before the match, Nigeria’s own wizard, Jay Jay Okocha, was asked how they would mark Maradona and he replied that Maradona was meant to mark him! Nigeria failed to come close the Argentine maestro and paid for it. The anti-doping official succeeded where Nigerian defenders failed in catching up with Maradona for a routine test, which showed positive for five banned substances.
https://www.naijiant.com/sports/down-me ... t-nigeria/

[deanotito]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

[Scipio Africanus]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

[deanotito]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

Abeg, read the story and then read what you wrote. You said if not for our defenders. So how did our defenders stop Diego. No be by blocking and tackling??

Maradona is Maradona. Even according to you, they would have won the WC if he wasn’t banned. So it has nothing to do with any psycho drama Maradona was playing

[Scipio Africanus]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

Abeg, read the story and then read what you wrote. You said if not for our defenders. So how did our defenders stop Diego. No be by blocking and tackling??

Maradona is Maradona. Even according to you, they would have won the WC if he wasn’t banned. So it has nothing to do with any psycho drama Maradona was playing

Oga, e be like say na you we suppose read am again i o!

1. You tok say na concentration do us in. I reply say na lie, say na the genius of Maradona wey do us in, come add say if not for awa defenders + including Rufai dem for nack us 5. In fact we concentrated very very well in that game, if not dem for nack us 5.

2. Our defenders stopped not so much Diego but his partners in crime Redondo, Caniggia, Batistuta etc. In fact I remember a couple of Batistuta efforts that were cleared off the line by our defenders. A Redondo header that was a sure goal tipped over by Rufai, just to name a few.

3. I must say that our goalkeepers really step up when we meet Argentina at the WC. In at least 3 of our meetings with them, it would not have been unjust if they had walked away 4-1 winners.

[gochino]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

Hmm, maybe if one member from our squad was also a Cocain addict we would have also won the WC hands down.

[Scipio Africanus]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

Hmm, maybe if one member from our squad was also a Cocain addict we would have also won the WC hands down.

Yeah that's all Diego was, a cocaine addict. How did you find the brainpower to log onto CE today?

[gochino]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

Hmm, maybe if one member from our squad was also a Cocain addict we would have also won the WC hands down.

Yeah that's all Diego was, a cocaine addict. How did you find the brainpower to log onto CE today?

I just found your statement a bit stupid, "It is a pity he was caught " seriously? Someone who cheated with performance enhancing drugs?

[Scipio Africanus]

Well, as sweet as that story is, it doesn’t exactly fit with how that match played out. We did touch Diego. A lot. We scored first. A goal of beauty... But concentration during set pieces did us in.

It wasn’t no Diego Maradona mind games...not even the cocaine coursing through his system did us in. Just concentration

My fren I was present at the stadium that day. If not for our defenders and Rufai we would have chopped 5 very easily that day.

Make no mistake, Maradona engineered that victory. A real pity that he was banned after that game. If not we would have been talking about Argentina's 3rd world cup, instead of Brazil's 4th. They would have won that WC hands down with Diego in the squad.

Hmm, maybe if one member from our squad was also a Cocain addict we would have also won the WC hands down.

Yeah that's all Diego was, a cocaine addict. How did you find the brainpower to log onto CE today?

I just found your statement a bit stupid, "It is a pity he was caught " seriously? Someone who cheated with performance enhancing drugs?

Diego didn't need performance enhancing drugs you dolt. The "performance enhancing" drug they found was a constituent of a common Argentine cold remedy. Yes it is a pity he was "caught" by that upstanding organization of integrity called FIFA. It robbed football fans of a few more sublime WC performances by Diego.