Diego Maradona reveals he has a dream present to mark his 60th birthday on Friday – "to score another goal against England, this time with my right hand."
The Argentine legend made the impish suggestion in an interview with France Football in reference to his 'Hand of God' goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, with Argentina going on to take the title.
In the past when asked about the handball he has said: "If I could apologise and go back and change history I would do. But the goal is still a goal, Argentina became world champions and I was the best player in the world."
In a more serious vein in Wednesday's interview he suggested his greatest pride was "to have made people happy through football."
"I feel that I've given pleasure and amusement to those who watched me in the stadiums or on television," the Argentine legend told France Football.
Maradona's birthday celebrations may be compromised as he is currently in self-isolation after a bodyguard tested positive for Covid-19.
The pandemic he says "is a real hard blow for the people of Latin America."
Maradona, who has a history of drug and alcohol abuse and poor health, is considered at high risk of coronavirus complications should he be infected. He has suffered two heart attacks in the past and contracted hepatitis.
Several weeks ago he went into self-isolation after one of his players contracted the virus with Argentina alone recording more than a million positive cases amongst its 44 million population with 29,000 deaths.
His latest job since hanging up his boots sees him in the post of manager of Argentine top-flight side Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, who are due to play on the day of his birthday
In what is presented as his first interview in French media for 25 years Maradona suggests Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo "are a cut above the other" players around at the moment.
"Not one is able to do half of what they can," he said.
– AFP
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