WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : U.S. Dismayed by Maradona’s Latest Fall : Reaction: National team members prefer to remember suspended Argentine superstar for his deeds on the field.
The question for Claudio Reyna and hundreds of thousands of fans around the world: Is it time to take down the posters of Diego Maradona?
Reyna, the U.S. midfielder whose parents are from Argentina, grew up with posters of Maradona and the Argentine national team in his room. He admired Maradona the player but said he never had illusions about Maradona the man. Wednesday’s revelation that the Argentine team captain had tested positive for ephedrine, a banned substance, did not change Reyna’s view.
“He’s a player I have always looked up to on the field,” Reyna said Thursday. “On the field, not off. You see it in this country--there are athletes who have problems. I’ve always idolized him on the field. I don’t know him, I can’t judge him. On the field is how I judge him.
“I was shocked and disappointed and kind of left wondering why he took the banned substance. Whether it came from his doctor or the federation, we’ll never know. It’s a huge mistake on someone’s part. It was foolish.”
Reaction at the U.S. training camp to Maradona’s expulsion from the tournament was varied, but no one was pleased with the news.
U.S. Coach Bora Milutinovic, who coached briefly in the Argentine professional league, said he felt sorry for Maradona’s family.
“I know him well,” Milutinovic said. “He’s a great example of what it means to be a soccer player. It’s sad that such a great legend may finish (his career) the way he has now. I feel sorry for him as a human being. We should take a moment to think about what’s going on and to think about what’s important in life.
“He’s a human being who made a mistake, and I think people need to remember that. He’s given a lot to the world of soccer. He’s done so much for soccer in Argentina and for the people.”
Reyna too considered Maradona’s legacy and how this week’s events might affect the way in which the superstar would be remembered.
“He’s going to be remembered for leading Argentina, of course. But not in the same fashion that Pele went out,” Reyna said. “Twenty years down the road, he’s not going to be remembered like Pele. He had a beautiful story until (a previous) cocaine bust. It ruined his storybook life.”
Rarely has Maradona’s turbulent life been described as storybook, but his abilities on the field are themselves a textbook for aspiring soccer players.
“I don’t think he’s a fallen hero, by any means,” Reyna said, speaking to a group of reporters. “He just made a mistake that a person like him can’t make. In this country, they are going to harp on it a lot in the media, like you guys are right now.”
Said forward Roy Wegerle: “I guess it dents the sport in some respect. There’s always someone willing to try something. It’s a pity it’s him. He’s the most popular soccer player in the world. It’s something the World Cup could have done without.”
Some players cringed when asked what Maradona’s absence would mean to the tournament.
“He means so much to the game,” defender Alexi Lalas said. “This World Cup has been sensational, on and off the field. The World Cup will continue to go on. It’ll just be without Maradona.”
