Argentina's Lionel Messi heads into the World Cup as the player everyone wants to see but it will be the strengths and weaknesses of coach Diego Maradona that will determine how far the South Americans progress.
Diego Maradona was "in a state of violent emotion" when he made lewd remarks at journalists after Argentina qualified for the World Cup finals, the Argentine Football Association's (AFA) lawyer said on Wednesday.
Argentina's first contact with media on Tuesday did little to dispel the uncertainty surrounding the team since they bunkered up at their World Cup base after arriving in South Africa on Saturday.
Diego Milito will have the same chance as Argentina's other in-form strikers to earn a place in their World Cup side, coach Diego Maradona said on Sunday.
Argentina coach Diego Maradona could be banned for several matches and fined for an obscenity-filled outburst at a news conference after Wednesday's World Cup qualifying win over Uruguay. According to article 58 of FIFA's disciplinary code, the sanction could be for a minimum of five matches, prohibit Maradona stadium access for the duration of the suspension and include a fine of at least 20,000 Swiss francs.
Such is the focus on Lionel Messi in the countdown to the World Cup that even the slightest problem in training gets full blown local media coverage as with a scrape on Friday. The world's top player, practising with Diego Maradona's Argentina for the finals in South Africa that kick off on June 11, fell and suffered a minor scrape on his right leg at the team's training base outside Buenos Aires.
Diego Maradona's Argentina finally clinched a place in the 2010 World Cup finals following a tortuous qualifying campaign with a 1-0 away win over bitter rivals Uruguay on Wednesday.
Diego Maradona's Argentina finally clinched a place in the 2010 World Cup finals following a tortuous qualifying campaign with a 1-0 away win over bitter rivals Uruguay on Wednesday. Substitute midfielder Mario Bolatti stabbed home the only goal five minutes from the end of a tense, foul-riddled match at the Centenario, ending Uruguay's hopes of a victory that would have put them through.
Although Lionel Messi scored yet another fantastic goal, it was the Barcelona forward's defensive work that earned him praise from Argentina coach Diego Maradona following a 2-0 defeat of France on Wednesday. Messi, who has netted 16 goals from 19 Primera Liga this season, slalomed through the French defence, wrongfooted centre back William Gallas before coolly slotting the ball past keeper Steve Mandanda to double his team's tally seven minutes from time.
It took a while, but Rafael Nadal finally showed up at the ATP's end-of-year fiesta on Monday when he lit up the second day of the World Tour Finals with a compelling round robin victory against Andy Roddick.
Argentina stumbled again in World Cup qualifying, losing to Paraguay 1-0 in Asunsion on Wednesday night and falling out of the top four in the South American standings.
Brazil secured their place at the 2010 World Cup with an impressive 3-1 win over arch-rivals Argentina while South America's other candidates jockeyed for the region's other three automatic berths. The defeat left Diego Maradona's side contemplating the dreaded prospect of missing out on the finals but Argentina did cling on to the fourth and final qualifying place after Colombia beat Ecuador 2-0 in another of Saturday's five-match programme.
Five-time champions Brazil qualified for the World Cup finals on Saturday after beating arch-rivals Argentina 3-1. Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano scored twice after Benfica skipper Luisao opened the scoring for the Brazilians in a fast, hard-tackling match.
Lionel Messi can stamp his authority on international soccer when Argentina clash with arch-rivals Brazil in Saturday's World Cup qualifier, coach Diego Maradona said.
Olympic golds medal-winning coach Sergio Batista was poised on Monday to succeed Diego Maradona and lead Argentina to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Argentina's hopes of reaching the 2010 finals in South Africa could be severely limited this weekend, should the results of the South American World Cup qualifiers go to form. Diego Maradona's Argentina face Dunga's South American group leaders Brazil (27 points), who added the Confederations Cup in late June to their 2007 Copa America title.
For soccer great Diego Maradona, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro was more than a friend and fellow Latin American legend, he was "a second father." Maradona said Castro's death late on Friday hit him like a tennis ball to the chest served by Juan Martin del Potro, the Argentine player he cheered on in the Davis Cup final where he received the news. "I wept uncontrollably," Maradona told reporters on the sidelines of the tennis tournament. "After my father, it's the deepest sorrow I know."
Argentina's World Cup coach Diego Maradona was bitten on his face by one of his dogs and had surgery at a clinic, local media reported in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Maradona, taken to Los Arcos clinic during the early hours, was not seriously hurt and is expected to return home later in the day, the broadcaster Cronica said.
Lionel Messi provided yet more sublime evidence on Sunday that he is the best player in the world with a devastating hat-trick for Barcelona that will have Champions League and World Cup rivals on full alert.
Wednesday's impressive, albeit unexciting 1-0 friendly win away to Germany showed Argentina coach Diego Maradona's team is at last taking shape.
Argentine coach Diego Maradona was granted the choice by soccer authorities on Monday to move September's World Cup qualifier against arch-rivals Brazil away from the River Plate stadium in Buenos Aires.
Argentine football great Diego Maradona returned to hospital with abdominal pain early on Friday, two days after he was released from a two-week treatment for alcohol abuse and liver problems, radio and television reported.
Kim Lammers scored a dramatic winning goal two minutes from time as Netherlands beat Germany 2-1 in Pool A to reach the semi-finals of the women's hockey World Cup Sunday.
Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's best player and could take Argentina to the final of the World Cup, coach Diego Maradona said.
Argentina and Germany set off for the World Cup with huge doubts about their prospects but they meet in Saturday's quarter-final in hot form with a great chance for the winners to go all the way to the final.
Give Argentina a two-goal head start and the result will not be in much doubt, as Mexico discovered when a dreadful decision and a defensive mistake smoothed a World Cup quarter-final path for the twice winners. Surging with the self-confidence Diego Maradona seems able to transmit directly from the touchline, Argentina found life absurdly easy for much of a 3-1 win at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Diego Maradona was forced to stub out his fat cigar but no one could take the smile off his face -- or stop him talking -- after Argentina's 3-1 last 16 World Cup defeat of Mexico on Sunday.
have Jose Mourinho on your bedside table for advice seems a novel way of resolving a problem that keeps you awake at night during the World Cup. The tournament is going well for Argentina but Diego Maradona said he might give new Real Madrid manager Mourinho a ring if he felt the need to discuss a tactical issue.
Lionel Messi, who turns 23 on Thursday, captained his country for the first time on Tuesday and gave another virtuoso performance as Argentina beat Greece 2-0 to reach the second round of the World Cup.
Lionel Messi, who turns 23 on Thursday, captained his country for the first time on Tuesday and gave another virtuoso performance as Argentina beat Greece 2-0 to reach the second round of the World Cup.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday.
Luis Fabiano's second goal against Ivory Coast at the World Cup was not with the Hand of God as the Brazilian claimed, Diego Maradona said on Monday.
Mexico's attacking flair has been clearly on display at this World Cup so all eyes will be on their tactics against Uruguay on Tuesday when a point will see them into the last 16 and a possible clash with Argentina.
For Diego Maradona's Argentine squad, sex is fine as long as it is not 2 am and accompanied by a bottle of bubbly.
The first hat-trick of the World Cup finals from Gonzalo Higuain carried Argentina to a convincing 4-1 victory over South Korea on Thursday, putting the South Americans within touching distance of the last 16.
Argentina coach Diego Maradona was banned for two months and fined more than $24,000 on Sunday after a foul-mouthed outburst at the end of last month's decisive World Cup qualifier in Uruguay.
Argentina coach Diego Maradona will see a familiar foe in the opposing dugout when his side face South Korea in their second Group B match at Soccer City on Thursday.
Brazil continued their dominance over England with a 1-0 friendly win on Saturday but 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa's troubles persisted with a 0-0 draw at home to Japan on coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's second debut. Spain added to Diego Maradona's worries by beating his Argentina side 2-1 thanks to two Xabi Alonso goals, including a late penalty, as the teams already qualified for South Africa began their preparations.
Argentina coach Diego Maradona was the mastermind behind the goal that gave them a 1-0 World Cup win over Nigeria, midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron said.
Diego Maradona, scorer of the infamous Hand of God goal in the finals of 1986, made a strong plea for fair play on the opening day of the World Cup on Friday. 'Let there really be fair play, let the referees understand what the words fair play mean,' Argentina's coach, targeting fouling, told a news conference.
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