Diego Maradona was given a warm welcome when he arrived in Scotland on Sunday before his first game in charge of the Argentina national side on Wednesday.
Hundreds of Scottish fans were at Glasgow airport to greet him, many hoping for an autographed picture of his “hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup.
The Argentina coach, who was appointed last month after the resignation of Alfio Basile, was given a police escort and, when asked how he felt on his arrival, he replied in Spanish: “Contento [happy].” His response in English was: “I don’t speak English.”
After initially boarding a bus, the 48-year-old Maradona returned to the entrance of the airport and signed autographs, including one of a poster of his famous handball in the Estadio Azteca. Argentina will face George Burley’s Scotland in a friendly at Hampden Park.
Meanwhile, Scotland assistant boss, Terry Butcher, who was a member of the England side defeated by Argentina in 1986, has admitted he will never forgive Maradona for wrecking England’s World Cup dream.
“No, I’ll never forgive him,” said Butcher.
“It’s not nice when you lose a World Cup quarter-final under those circumstances.
“I was selected for the drugs test with Gary Stevens and Kenny Sansom and ended up in the room with Maradona and two of his pals. Our World Cup was over and they were celebrating.
“It could have been a war-zone in there but it wasn’t. I wasn’t next to him, if I was I might have done something.
Save up to £14 a year this Christmas when you subscribe to World Soccer
