What’s it like to… play alongside Diego Maradona?

When Maradona led Argentina victory at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, he seemed closer to winning that argument. Pele’s Brazil won three times, including the majesty of 1970. Then Messi took the crown in 2022.

It’s fair to say, however, that few players have inspired a team as much as Maradona in 1986 – including the infamous ‘Hand of God’ followed by the ‘Goal of the Century’ in the quarter-finals to knock out England.

Friends for life, legendary former Spurs midfielder Ossie Ardiles was there when Maradona broke through in the late 1970s – his first cap in 1977 (Ossie’s was in 1975) – there when he wasn’t selected for the 1978 World Cup, which Argentina won on home soil, and there again together when Maradona was kicked left, right and centre in Spain in 1982. Ossie had been out of the national team for four years by the time Maradona lifted the trophy as captain in 1986.

They were reunited again at Wembley in October, 2017, when Maradona spoke with Mauricio Pochettino and Harry Kane before our 4-1 win against Liverpool. Maradona passed away in 2020, aged 60.

So, back to our question for Ossie…

What’s it like to… play alongside Diego Maradona?

Ossie: “Coming into the World Cup in 1978, he had about five or six games. Every game, he was better and better and better. It was something that you cannot describe. You cannot describe how good he was. I mean, we were all national team players. We were pretty good, to be perfectly honest! But when he had the ball, he’s doing things and I said, ‘what is this? I mean, that's impossible’. He was improving in every game, but at the end of the day, Menotti said no. That was the worst day of his life. I mean, when it happened, he cried and cried and cried. So, all of us, we go to him, ‘well, Diego, you are going to have another opportunity, you are very young’ blah, blah, blah. I will say that was the worst day in his life, footballistically, or maybe in his life, full stop. That’s how much it meant to him.”

We then mentioned to Ossie Maradona’s treatment at the 1982 World Cup, where he was famously man-marked by Italy’s Claudio Gentile in the second round phase – he fouled Maradona a World Cup record 23 times, no player has been fouled by another more than seven times - the holders went out after losing to Italy and Brazil.

Ossie: “It was funny because somebody sent me a stat about the players who have most foul against then in the World Cup. Number one is Maradona in 1986 (53 fouls against). Number two is Maradona, 1990 (50). Number three is Maradona, 1982 (36). Then it’s Ariel Ortega (33 in France 1998) and number five is yours truly! Don’t forget in 1982, we only played five games – and Diego was the one who get sent off (against Brazil). Also, in 1978, for example, I was booked in the final! Some teams come to destroy you. It was so, so difficult to play. I'm just thinking about Diego. I can only imagine if he was playing right now… there are certain players that are kind of impossible to play. In my opinion, there are three players only - Pelé, Maradona and Messi. If they are okay, 100% okay, it's just, that's it, they will win the game. So, the only way to stop this player is like they did with Pelé and Maradona. Foul, foul, fouls and more fouls. With Messi, luckily now, in the way the football is played right now, they are much, much more protected.

“Maradona was simply, completely out of this world. I mean, you cannot start to describe it. Diego had so many problems outside football. I mean, taxes, women, cigarettes, whatever… you mention, Diego had it. But when he crossed the line, when he was inside the pitch, he was so, so happy. That was it. For 90 minutes, he was so, so happy. For example, when Argentina played England in 1986, went on to win the final,  Diego, was the captain. Before the game he’s saying, ‘come on boys, we have to do this’, but for him, really, he doesn't need to do nothing. He was that good. That's it. He can go. He did it all for the other people - not for him. He doesn't need to at all. He knew that he was going to do.”