Sleeping, partying, sulking: Maradona's weird World Cup

By Jens Marx Jul 2, 2006, 19:04 GMT

Argentinian soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona (C), his ex-wife Claudia (L) and his daughter Dalma (R) celebrate a goal during the group C 2006 FIFA World Cup match of Argentina vs Serbia-Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Friday, 16 June 2006. EPA/Achim Scheidemann

Herzogenaurach, Germany - Partying into the early hours, sleeping into the afternoon, sulking during his team's most important match: Diego Maradona may not be on the ball any more, but he's been in the limelight.

Stubs of cigars allegedly smoked by him have been offered on the internet. He had a cordial meeting with World Cup organizing supremo Franz Beckenbauer. He paid a lightning late-night visit to his Argentinian side before their crucial quarter-final against Germany.

And then he walked out of the match shortly after it began. Here's a short documentary about the World Cup as lived by the Hand of God:

June 9: Where's Maradona? Contrary to the organizing committee's announcement that he would be among former world champions taking part in the opening ceremony, he's nowhere to be seen. 'I haven't come to Germany to see Pele and Franz Beckenbauer,' he says later.

June 10: Here he is. First in the players' dressing room, then in the VIP area of the Hamburg stadium. Wearing the famed number 10 shirt, he's up there cheering, sweating and partying along with his clan - including ex-wife Claudia and daughter Giannina - as Argentina beat the Ivory Coast 2-1 in their opening match.

June 12: Herzogenaurach, Argentina's training camp, 12.47: Maradona emerges from a dark van, has lunch with the squad and then, cigar in mouth, hares off again at 15.05 without saying a word. He hits the gas pedal hard as he lurches off.

June 14: Maradona, now at work: He's co-commentator for the Spanish broadcaster Cuatro in Spain's match against Ukraine in Leipzig. His fee: a reputed two million euros. 'Totally unpredictable, very hard to direct,' says a Cuatro producer.

June 15: The 'Foot of God' treads a little to hard on the gas pedal this time. Maradona is caught doing 120 kilometres an hour instead of the legal 80 beside roadworks on the A2 superhighway near Hamm-Uentrop in North Rhine-Westphalia. Spot fine of 95 euros.

June 16: Maradona the talisman, part II: Tears of joy as he leaps and dances to Argentina's 6-0 demolition of Serbia-Montenegro.

June 18: An Argentinian watches Brazil. Maradona is in Munich for the selecao's match against Australia.

June 19: Working visit to Stuttgart. Spain are playing Tunisia.

June 21: Maradona the mascot again. Argentina play a goalless draw against the Netherlands.

June 22: Maradona fetes Maradona: He and his clan celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 'Hand of God' quarter-final match against England in Mexico that made him immortal. At 4.18 the police arrive at the Frankfurt restaurant and end the partying. Too much noise.

June 23: Work again. Spain are playing Saudi Arabia in Kaiserslautern.

June 24: Maradona the fan, this time nail-biting: Argentina knock out Mexico 2-1 in extra time of a second-round match in Leipzig.

June 27: More work: Spain lose to France in their second-round knock-out match.

June 28: Lunch with his successors on the Argentinian national team. He stays on until 23.30 at the Herzogenaurach hotel.

June 30: Argentina's quarter-final against Germany in Berlin. Maradona has breakfast brought to him at 15.00. At 16.00 he's off to the stadium. At 17.35 he's back in the hotel. One of his associates is refused admission to the VIP area, so a miffed Maradona and his clan are gone. Shortly afterwards, so are Argentina, as Germany win on penalties.