Finger of god: Diego Maradona’s ‘meltdown’ as Argentina beat Nigeria at the World Cup
Former Argentine great is ‘fine’ after seeing a doctor during the group D encounter
This time it was the finger, not the hand, that stunned the football world as Diego Maradona suffered what The Sun described as “a meltdown” during Argentina’s tense 2-1 World Cup win over Nigeria in St Petersburg.
The victory ensured the South Americans’ passage into the last 16, and a showdown with France on Saturday, but it appeared to be all too much for the pint-sized genius.
At the 1986 World Cup it was Maradona’s “Hand of God” that eliminated England from the tournament but when Marcos Rojo scored the winner for Argentina five minutes from time, the 57-year-old was “caught on TV lunging forwards from his executive box seat and giving opposing fans below ‘the finger’ with both hands”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Gary Lineker, who played in the 1986 encounter, said later on the BBC that Maradona had let himself down by his reaction and “there’s a danger of him becoming a laughing stock, I’m afraid, in many ways”.
Minutes after Maradona’s wild celebrations he appeared to collapse and he had to be helped from his seat to the hospitality suite at St Petersburg’s Zenit Arena.
Medical staff checked his pulse and reports claim that he was taken to hospital in the city for precautionary checks where, according to the Sun, a “preliminary diagnosis later confirmed he had high blood pressure and a heart murmur”.
That didn’t stop him boarding a private jet for a flight to Moscow in the early hours, a suitably bizarre end to a bizarre evening.
Maradona later said he was “fine” after seeing the doctor, the BBC reports. He posted on social media: “I want to tell everyone that I am fine. I was checked by a doctor and he recommended me to go home before the second half, but I wanted to stay because we were risking it all. How could I leave?”
Despite the drama of Argentina’s 2-1 win, which saw Nigeria level from the penalty spot in the second half after Lionel Messi had scored his first goal of the tournament on 14 minutes, Maradona appeared to doze off several times during the match.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Damian Barr shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The writer and broadcaster picks works by Alice Walker, Elif Shafak and others
By The Week UK Published
-
The Great Mughals: a 'treasure trove' of an exhibition
The Week Recommends The V&A's new show is 'spell-binding'
By The Week UK Published
-
Big Tech critic Brendan Carr is Trump's FCC pick
In the Spotlight The next FCC commissioner wants to end content moderation practices on social media sites
By David Faris Published
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assault
Speed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
By The Week Staff Published
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pants
Speed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second coming
Speed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Bank holidays and boycotts: are MPs trying to jinx England?
Speed Read Declaring a bank holiday would be ‘tempting fate’, says Boris Johnson
By The Week Staff Published
-
Weightlifting: Olympic Games set for transgender first
Speed Read New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will make history at Tokyo 2020
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sport shorts: Champions League expansion plan to be agreed
Speed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Joachim Low and the Lions women’s team
By Mike Starling Published
-
Sport shorts: Sturgeon slams Rangers fans over title celebrations
Speed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Keely Hodgkinson and Bryson DeChambeau
By Mike Starling Published
-
Sport shorts: Klopp’s unwanted record as Liverpool lose again at Anfield
Speed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Tiger Woods and Tom Brady
By Mike Starling Published