30.2 C
Accra
Saturday, February 15, 2025
SportsArgentina prepare for first World Cup since Maradona death

Date:

Argentina prepare for first World Cup since Maradona death

Argentina head to their first World Cup since Diego Maradona’s death but the Albiceleste great will be there in spirit.

That was the message from Maradona’s former agent Guillermo Coppola at the opening of CONMEBOL’s ‘Tree of Dreams’ in Doha to celebrate South America’s rich football heritage.

Lionel Scaloni’s side are among the pre-tournament favourites in Qatar ahead of Tuesday’s Group C opener against Saudi Arabia, searching for a first World Cup crown since a Maradona-inspired triumph in 1986.

There has not been a South American winner of FIFA’s top tournament since Brazil in 2002, but Coppola hopes that will change for Argentina in their first outing since Maradona passed in November 2020.

“This is going to be the first World Cup that [Maradona] is not physically with us,” said the 74-year-old. “But Diego will always be with us.

“The most precious good for Diego was the football. It wasn’t life, which is the most precious good that human beings have.

“It wasn’t freedom – to be able to decide and to do – which is the second one, the freedom for him was the ball.

“Where a ball rolls there is Diego, do not forget this, when you see a ball rolling say, there is Diego.”

Argentina ended a 28-year wait for major silverware by beating Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final.

That makes this the first World Cup they enter as champions of South America since USA 94 and former Argentina captain Javier Zanetti expects his country to come out fighting as a unified group.

Speaking alongside World Cup winners Oscar Ruggeri and Mario Alberto Kempes, Zanetti added: “It means a lot to have a united, consolidated, solid group.

“I trust that Argentina is a group that came to Qatar knowing well what they want.”

While Zanetti, now Inter vice-president, acknowledged the ill-timing of the November World Cup, he has little doubt Argentina will hit the ground running.

“We cannot know about the physical condition because this World Cup is atypical,” the 49-year-old continued.

“It is being played in November and many consecutive games were played recently, so there is a lot of fatigue.

“But in general, I trust that players and national teams will arrive in good condition.”

Source: Livescore

 

[forminator_poll id="710479"]

Latest stories

Diana Asamoah denies lesbianism allegations, calls it an attempt to tarnish her image

Gospel musician Diana Asamoah has strongly refuted the claims...

G/A: Some SHSs accounts with BoG mysteriously emptied – CHASS

Several senior high schools in the Greater Accra Region...

My concession is being looted by galamseyers – Otumfuo cries out

Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has voiced strong concern...

Bawku conflict claims four young lives in 3 weeks

Between January 25 and February 14, 2025, four children,...

IMF to review Ghana’s Credit Facility program in April

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to assess...

Related stories

Check out Cristiano Ronaldo’s val’s day message to his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez

Cristiano Ronaldo recently shared a throwback photo of himself...

Number 12: Blame Anas for Ghana’s drastic football decline – Takyi Arhin

General Manager of Aduana Stars, Takyi Arhin, has voiced...

FA Cup to implement semi-automated offside technology for the first time

Semi-automated offside technology will make its debut in English...

Otto Addo’s record is very poor, it’s terrible – Kofi Adams slams Black Stars coach

Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has strongly...

GFA denies reports of looming elections over Gifty Mensah’s alleged absence – Reports

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has refuted reports suggesting...