God's hand on our soil

SA227 from Buenos Aires will this morning bring Diego Maradona to SA. The cigar-smoking, overweight, loud-mouth coach of Argentina is here to check out his team's home base for the upcoming worldcup. He will also visit some stadiums and hook up with some kids for some "good work".

The 'Hand of God' will apparently avoid all close encounters with any media because he is just back from a suspension after some clashes with journos during Argentina's difficult qualification games for the world cup.

I wonder if besides teaching his players some of his amazing dribbles, he also passes on the knowledge of some of his dirty tricks, of which his 1986 'Hand of God' remains a milestone in football history.

It was 22 June 1986 in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Quater final of a world cup. It was Argentina against England amidst still emotional warfare over the past Falkland War (aka Malvinas for the Argentinians).

Maradona is at his super-best. His first goal of the match, 51 minutes into the game, he scored with his hand. The 'Hand of God'. Not legal, but unnoticed by the referee and thus not penalised and thus on the scoreboard. I guess France's Henry had a Maradona-moment when he did a handball-pass that lead to France eliminating Ireland late last year in the qualifiers for 2010. Anyway. 3 Minutes later Maradona dribbles 6 English players to score his second goal. Final score 2-1. Argentina goes on to beat (West) Germany in the final and grab the 1986 world cup.