12 Years Later, Maradona Finally Ready to Apologize

It’s a bit late, but maybe it’s the thought that counts, not the timing.

Diego Maradona has reportedly apologized for his infamous “Hand of God” handball goal against England.

For years, the legality of the first goal he scored for Argentina against England in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup has been debated. At the time, he described it as, “a little bit Maradona, a little bit the hand of God,” which meant he was being pious or referring to himself as a deity for using his hand to put a cross past English goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

He has occasionally hinted it might not have been heaven-sent, and two years ago acknowledged having a “few regrets” about it.

Now comes the British newspaper “News of the World,” quoting Maradona as saying all the doubters were correct: “I realize that goal should not have stood and I am sorry for what happened,” he said. “I did not want to offend anyone when I scored that goal. When I saw the ball go towards Peter Shilton it was like being a kid again--I was having a laugh.

“But I had good fortune that God allowed the goal to stand. It should have been disallowed.”

NOW NHL FANS UNDERSTAND

The Canadian Press news service found an interesting way to enlighten its readers--who are probably more familiar with hockey than soccer--about the personality of Paraguayan goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert.

“The Paraguayan captain looks like soccer’s version of Tie Domi and manages to play like an enforcer even though he is a goalkeeper,” it said.

THE ANSWER IS IN THE CARDS

Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, FIFA’s president, tells the media to lay off the referees and stop exaggerating the refereeing problems in the tournament.

But no referee who issued a red card in the first round was chosen to officiate in the second round. And many of those red cards were roundly criticized. So were the media wrong or were the referees wrong?

REMEMBER THE GOOD OL’ DAYS

Former German captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer isn’t enthralled with the quality of play in this tournament.

Writing in the German newspaper Bild, Beckenbauer bluntly said he finds no great skill or finesse. “No team or match here has convinced me,” he said. “Diego Maradona said to me that there are too many players here with square feet. I have to agree.”

Beckenbauer also said FIFA erred in expanding the field. “It was a nice idea, a good gesture to have a World Cup with 32 teams, letting the smaller nations play. But what has that got to do with the World Cup?” he said. “How could [genuine contenders play well] when some of the small teams have just stayed back and just wanted to destroy the game and not take the initiative?”

AN ALL-ENGLAND VIEW

England’s captain, Alan Shearer, might have put his boot in his mouth. In discussing England’s round-of-16 game against Argentina at Saint-Etienne, “Whoever wins that match can go on to lift the World Cup.” France, Brazil and Italy, at the very least, might dispute that.