Tears flow at Maradona testimonial

Diego Maradona wept and hobbled through an emotional testimonial match featuring a wealth of top past and present players and watched by his former foe Pele on Saturday.

A 50,000 crowd was at the Bombonera stadium, home of Maradona's beloved Boca Juniors, to pay tribute to a player, who despite extra pounds around his waist, still showed flashes of the skill that made him one of the best the world has known.

The game featured the current Argentine team, led by Maradona, against an All-Stars eleven which included many players who, like Maradona, had their careers disrupted by problems off the field.

Maradona converted two penalties as Argentina won 6-3.

"This is too much for one person, for one footballer... I thank you with all my heart," he told the crowd at the end in a speech.

Frenchman Eric Cantona, Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov and eccentric Colombian goalkeeper Rene Higuita were among the former bad boys in the All-Stars team.

Other guests included former Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus, Croatia's Davor Suker, Uruguayan Enzo Francescoli and Argentine Juan Roman Riquelme, who now wears the number ten Boca Juniors shirt which once belonged to Maradona.

NUMBER TEN

The match was preceded by a controversy over plans to remove the number ten shirt from the Argentine team.

Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona announced the move on Friday following a suggestion by the players but on Saturday, local media said that FIFA had nipped the idea in the bud.

A FIFA spokesman was quoted as saying that all teams at next year's World Cup would have to number their players from one to 23 and the only way for Argentina to drop the number ten would be by taking a man less.

"It was a wonderful idea on the part of the players but it seems other people didn't like it," said Maradona before the game. "It's the law of FIFA, they give the orders and we Argentines have to accept it," he said bitterly.

Pele's presence, somewhat surprising given previous public disagreements with Maradona and an endless debate over which of the two is the best player in the history of the game, gave the local media a chance of some baiting.

At a conference before the game, one Argentine journalist asked the Brazilian how it felt to be the second best player in the world. Pele replied: "It's better being second than being the last."

Pele, who watched the game from the VIP box, added: "I'm very happy. He deserves a testimonial for all the happiness he has given football. It's important to be present."

But the Brazilian's name was not announced before play, possibly to prevent him from being jeered by the fanatical pro- Maradona crowd in the Bombonera.

PARANOID RATS

The match itself, preceded by a performance from a local rock group called "The Paranoid Rats" who sang "I want Diego to play for ever", was in the best melodramatic Argentine style with tears flowing before and after the game, on the field and in the crowd.

Maradona took the pitch with his two daughters dressed in Argentina shirts and replaced Ariel Ortega in what was otherwise the same Argentine team which beat Peru 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

Argentina made sure Maradona got plenty of the ball and, although the 1986 World Cup hero barely broke into a trot, he split the visiting defence with an array of precise passes as he proved that his left foot was still in fine fettle.

The high point of the match came in the second half when Maradona tried to chip Higuita from 30 metres and the Colombian keeper produced a replica of his famous "scorpion kick" save he once produced in a friendly against England.

Maradona, who had trained in Cuba where he has lived for nearly two years as part of his drugs rehabilitation programme, limped through much of the second half, apparently feeling the effects of knee surgery he underwent last month.

Ten minutes from the end, the most fanatical faction of the Boca fans produced their own tribute by letting off fireworks and chanting their idols' name.

Play was stopped as Maradona, weeping again, was carried shoulder high to the end of the field by both teams.

In addition to Maradona, Pablo Aimar (twice), Lucas Castroman and Claudio Lopez scored for Argentina. Suker, Cantona and Higuita, from a penalty, replied.

MORE EMOTION

There was more emotion at the end when Maradona, who played the last 20 minutes wearing a Boca shirt, made a speech.

"Football is the greatest sport in the world," he said, biting his lip but unable to hold back his tears.

"This is incredible. Now the whole world can see what the Boca fans and the Argentines are made of, the passion of the Argentine people and the passion for a number ten who has made them smile on occasions," he said.

"I have waited so long for this game and now it's over. I thank you in the name of my daughters, my fathers, (agent) Guillermo (Coppola). I want to thank all the players who played today."