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Football

26th Nov 2018

WATCH: Diego Maradona gives the greatest post-match interview of all time

Kyle Picknell

So, Diego, what do you think of the Mexican first division?

I don’t really know how else to frame this, other than by reiterating that what we are about to watch is surely the greatest post-match interview ever conducted. It belongs in the Louvre.

Maradona, you may or may not be aware, is currently managing in the Mexican second divison, the Ascenso MX. His team? None other than Dorados de Sinaloa, aka El Gran Pez – The Great Fish.

This is their actual badge.

… yeah. Yeah. So that’s the level we’re talking about here. Just to be clear.

Nevertheless, his ESPN interviewers appeared to finesse their way around this by asking Diego about the much more highly regarded and well known Mexican first division (Liga MX), featuring historic, iconic teams such as Club America, UNAM Pumas, Cruz Azul and Tigres.

And yet. Here is arguably the greatest footballer of all time, turned Mexican second division head coach, absolutely floundering as he realises he has nothing, nothing at all, good or bad, to say about the league he is being questioned about.

Rough transcript:

Interviewer: What do you think about the level of the MX league?

Diego Maradona: No ehhhh, la eyyyehhhh laaaa mmmmm blahhhh, laaaaarrrrghghghghhhhmmmmmmmmm

Diego Maradona at the dentist later that day:

Dentist: Ok, Diego. I’ve just injected your gum with a small amount of anaesthesia. It will feel numb and you won’t be able to talk properly for a little while. 

Diego Maradona: Well, do you know, it has actually caught me by surprise a little bit. The style of football here in Mexico is very different to what people might necessarily be used to in Europe. It’s looser, more frenetic, and there is perhaps less of an emphasis on team shape. The teams set out to attack. The league system, as well, is unique in that…

Regardless of whether or not he actually has any opinions on the country he is now living in, particularly in the field in which he is working, it is clear his reign has been a success thus far, with Dorados now in the Apertura final, a two-legged playoff to crown the winner of the opening tournament of the season before the Clausura (the closing tournament) takes place.

Since taking over his record reads: P13 W8 D2 L3 which isn’t bad going at all, even without taking into account the opportunity to claim the first silverware of the season after overcoming Juarez 2-1 on aggregate on Sunday.

And yeah, it looks as though the players might enjoy having him around, too.