FIFA has urged Diego Maradona to behave in a respectful manner after hitting the headlines during the group stages.
Maradona was pictured being treated by paramedics following Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup, but he insisted he was not taken to the hospital. The 57-year-old drew the attention of TV cameras by dancing, celebrating and gesturing to the crowd as Argentina confirmed their place in the World Cup knockout phase.
FIFA has now commented on the situation by providing support for a player widely regarded to be one of the greatest ever, urged the 57-year-old – part of the FIFA Legends Program – to be respectful.
“We expect all players, former players, staff, fans and everyone to behave in a respectful manner, but having stars like Diego, [Carles] Puyol, [Javier] Zanetti, who have built up the fabric of football, and having them working with us on our goals is part of a much bigger picture.”