After the drama and excitement of yesterday's first two World Cup quarterfinals today sees the realisation of Germany versus Argentina for a place in the semi-final. This match has been talked up since the draw became clear following the second round matches last weekend. And rather like Gary Linekar said after England's elimination to Germany, it's probably best England didn't get through after all, because beating Argentina would have been far beyond them.
Maradona's tenure as manager of his national team has had its ups and downs, most notably when qualification went down to the wire, but was it really ever going to be plain sailing? As a player Maradona achieved heights that were unattainable for even the better than average professional footballer, and it is not without just cause that he is regularly held up as the best player to grace the game alongside Pelé.
In some respects Maradona was a better player than the Brazilian, he may have won less World Cups but he did so with a team that collectively didn't equal those with which Pelé played in. The Argentinian has often been referred to as the overwhelming influence that dragged his side kicking and screaming to World Cup glory in 1986, rather like Zinedine Zidane almost achieved with France in 2006. The evidence backs this up as he both scored and set-up five goals apiece during the tournament.
However that's not to belittle the skill and quality of his then teammates, which included the similarly quotable Jorge Valdano, a striker who played for and later managed Real Madrid to La Liga title in 1994/95. In more recent times he famously philosaphised that Liverpool and Chelsea were like 'hanging shit from a stick', in that subjectively some people will call it art when really it is just what it is!
Further reasoning for Maradona's bettering of Pelé is how he almost repeated his World Cup trick in 1990. By this point the Argentinian squad was not as good as their counterparts of four years earlier, but Maradona with the help of Claudio Caniggia almost pulled it off again.
Then take into account his legendary status at Napoli, where between 1984 and 1991 he inspired the club to its only two Serie A titles in their history, as well as the Uefa Cup in 1989. When you consider that during his time in Naples Maradona was developing a cocaine addiction which ultimately led to him leaving the club after a fifteen month ban, how much more could a completely health Maradona have achieved?!
This leads to why Maradona's appointment as Argentina's coach in October 2008 led to some disquiet even amongst his fellow countrymen. Rather than the squeaky-clean living of Pelé, Maradona has never been too far from controversy since he came into the spotlight.
Be it being sent-off in the 1982 World Cup against Brazil, or through cocaine and weight issues to shooting at reporters with an air rifle in 1994, the Argentinian icon has tread the line of rugged appeal. In reading his autobiography El Diego, you can understand and take heart in the sometimes-brutal honesty and yet endearing charm and passion of a man who has always had absolute and justifiable belief in his skills and ability.
Of course Germany versus Argentina has plenty of history of it's own in the World Cup. Not only did the 1986 triumph come after 3-2 final victory over West Germany (which some people still say was the last great final), but at the 2006 World Cup the two nations met at exactly the same stage as they will now.
On that occasion the teams were held at 1-1 after extra-time and the match was decided in the host nations favour, 4-2 after penalties. A lot of the bad blood that has been stirred up this last week revolves around the ensuing mass brawl after Germany's winning penalty, which involved almost all of both squads aside from bizarrely enough the usually controversial Jens Lehman.
The most memorable moment from the infamous incident was when Maxi Rodriguez came from nowhere to launch a flying punch at Bastian Shweinsteiger, interestingly both players are likely to be involved in today's line-ups. It seems that the memories are very short for a lot of the players that took part four years ago, and so a match that was already wound up to the tilt has been put further on edge by recriminations and fear of a growing feud.
Shweinsteiger himself started the finger pointing earlier in the week when he warned that Argentina is known for unsettling opposing teams and trying to influence officials. This was further stoked by Germany's captain Philipp Lahm, who stated that South Americans are generally "impulsive and temperamental and cannot lose", Lahm then added that this view would be tested after Germany defeat Argentina.
Maradona's response to the war of words was to ask "What's the matter with you, Schweinsteiger, are you nervous? All in all the match is set up absolutely perfectly, at least for the neutral observer, and hopefully we are on the verge of seeing a classic that will rival the drama and more of Ghana's tragic exit yesterday night.
Personally, I still believe that Maradona and Argentina are somewhat following a path of destiny in this tournament and that they will win today and in the final on July 11th. Something about Maradona makes you believe as much as he does that this will be their year, we may both be wrong but I'm sure it will be exciting whatever happens. Argentina to win before penalties.
Post match analysis (!)-
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