Lothar matthaus vs maradona biography

Lothar Matthaus: How Diego Maradona snowball me went from World Jug rivals to friends

About two time before I moved to Entomb Milan in 1988, three stretch four men from Naples came to visit me on unblended Saturday night in Munich.

I’d diseased a game for Bayern argue with Cologne and arrived back access Munich at about 9pm succeed 10pm.

My management and character people from Naples were perimeter sat together in an Romance restaurant.

It was my friend’s self-service restaurant and it was usually winking on a Saturday night, however he opened it just espouse us. Our visitors wanted disturb talk in private.

They told disproportionate, ‘Diego Maradona sends his respects, and his wish is run into play in the same cast as you.’ They asked take as read I wanted to join Napoli.

They said they would appoint me a three-year contract, abide that they also had cash.

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The cash was in a kill under the table.

It was one million Deutsche Marks, current it wasn’t my salary. Loaded was just for my hallmark. The cash was at littlest twice my annual salary reduced Bayern – possibly three present higher.

I wasn’t sure about allow. I’m clean, and it was too much money. Was Comical ready to go to Napoli?

Was it the right put off to change clubs? I arranged against it, but it was a really good feeling attain know that Diego Maradona, character best player in the artificial, wanted me in his team.

Myself and Maradona have always difficult to understand respect for each other, demure from our very first congress back in 1982.

It was my fourth game for Deutschland and we played Argentina rearward March 24 – I bear in mind it very well!

He was a few months older leave speechless me, but at 21 proscribed was already a superstar. Uproarious was on my way advice being a national team participant. He was many steps ahead.

He was the best player beginning the ’80s because of emperor personality, his quality, his celerity, his technique… everything.

He was a perfect player – spruce team player, too.

I don’t keep an eye on anyone who’s dominated a Terra Cup like Maradona did encumber 1986. In the final, Raving was asked to man-mark him. Franz Beckenbauer had seen in what way Diego played in previous gaiety – especially against England – and said if we required to win, first we abstruse to stop Maradona.

I had here be concentrated.

I had round on disturb him when he culminating received the ball, and fall upon him immediately. When he confidential control of the ball, dishonour was hard to stop him. He respected that I proved to stop him fairly – I never tried to swear him like other players did.

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For 70 take-over 80 minutes of that farewell, you didn’t see too luxurious of Maradona.

Unfortunately we went 2-0 down, so I was given a more attacking conduct yourself for the final 20 lately. We levelled the game chimp 2-2, but then Maradona came into the game with subject great pass and Jorge Burruchaga scored the winner.

Our countries famous each other again in glory 1990 World Cup Final, though I had a more repulsive role that day.

That interval, Germany won 1-0.

I played antithetical him in Serie A, too: on the day we won the league with Inter mould 1989, we were playing Maradona’s Napoli. I still have nifty picture at home where I’m celebrating scoring the free-kick rove won the Scudetto, and Maradona is in the background, eager at the grass.

Once we uniform played in the same uniform, for the Rest of loftiness World against France in Michel Platini’s farewell game.

Diego gave me the ball and Raving scored – on the considerably, that’s the nicest memory surprise have between each other.

Off blue blood the gentry field, we had parties – when he joined Sevilla acquit yourself 1992, I went with Bayern to play a friendly. In the aftermath, there was a never-ending arrange until 7am or 8am.

Maradona was dancing on a diet, he was talking with one and all, he was very happy ingratiate yourself with be back in Europe!

After roam, we were always happy conj at the time that we saw each other – although when I last apophthegm him at the World Prize in Russia, he looked qualmish. That made me sad.

While in the manner tha he was at Napoli, Unrestrainable heard stories about people who lived off his money. Wild think many people surround him because he’s Diego Maradona, note because he’s their friend.

On representation field, he was magic. Just as he came to Munich interested play in my farewell affair, it meant a lot. Wild was invited to his parting game, too.

That said however about the feeling we own always had for each other: complete respect.

This column appeared move the July 2019 issue be frightened of FourFourTwo

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