CELEBRITY
BBC RECALLS MARADONA’S LAST GAME…IT WAS AGAINST NIGERIA
One of the most famous – and most important – maxims in theatre is to always leave the crowd wanting more.
And as one of the most theatrical footballers to have played international football, Diego Maradona certainly did that – albeit not through choice.
That Maradona left the World Cup at USA ’94 after failing a drugs test is well-remembered – allied, albeit mistakenly, to his wide-eyed celebration having scored against Greece in a group game.
Popular memory joins the drugs test with that celebration and thinks they were the same match. But in actual fact, it was after Argentina’s next game, against Nigeria in Boston, that Maradona failed his test.
And it was a game in which he had shown he was still at the absolute peak of his powers – at least in a blue-and-white shirt. The unanswered question, of course, is how much of that was down to drugs.
The subtle trick
Although his club career had begun to peter out – he had spent a season ineffectively at Sevilla in 1992/93 before heading back to Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina – Maradona had always been able to raise his game for his national team.
And against Nigeria in Group D on 25 June 1994, he was so good there was talk of him inspiring them to their third successive World Cup final.
First, however, there was a big shock to deal with: Nigeria had gone ahead after just eight minutes.
It was through a fast break that was absolutely typical of the Super Eagles at the time.
Aptly, Rashidi Yekini showed Maradona-esque skill to dummy his way through two Argentina midfielders at once before setting up Samson Siasia. Siasia had all the time in the world to chip Luis Islas; the Argentina goalkeeper was so far out of his goal he had crossed an international date line.
Briefly, it looked like it could be the second time in two World Cups that Argentina had been bested by African opposition, after their 1-0 defeat to Cameroon that opened Italia ’90 – still one of the greatest shocks in the history of the tournament.
But it was not to be. And, typically, that was mostly down to Maradona.
The equaliser especially featured an under-remembered trick so subtle, so deft, it showed the very apex of what Maradona was about.
On 21 minutes, Argentina had won a free-kick around 25 metres from goal – a dangerous position, but not undefendable.
As Nigeria set up their wall, both Maradona and Gabriel Batistuta – himself already proving to be one of the greatest strikers in Serie A, and therefore Europe, at the time – stood at equal distance from the ball; Batistuta to the left, Maradona to the right.
Both were renowned dead-ball specialists, so the Nigeria wall was wary. Both had given themselves plenty of run-up, indicating a powerful shot was due.
As the referee’s whistle blew, it was Maradona who moved first. Expecting the ball to come flying in via Maradona’s left foot, the Nigeria wall moved right.
But instead, Maradona deftly, gracefully – with the precision of a ballerina landing on the tip of their toes – flicked the ball backwards, to the exact blade of grass Batistuta was running towards.
His dummy had done its work. Batistuta’s shot thundered in through the empty space from where Nigeria’s wall had shifted.
Nigeria’s goalkeeper Peter Rufai did well to get to down to it, but he only palmed it to the feet of Claudio Caniggia, who smashed it in.
‘Freedom of Massachusetts’
Seven minutes later, Argentina went ahead – again set up by a Maradona free kick.
If the first one had been all about skill, the second was all about cunning.
Maradona had the ball in midfield and almost idly played it towards Caniggia – but, before the striker could do anything with it, the referee signalled for a free-kick back where Maradona had passed from.
Maradona theatrically grabbed the ball, put it down, held up his hands. He made a gesture waving all his fingers in the air. To all the world – and certainly to all the Nigeria players – it looked like he was planning something extravagant that they would need to prepare for.
But instead he suddenly dinked the ball forward to where Caniggia had been waiting, furiously yelling “Diego! Diego!”
The Nigeria defence was caught completely cold. They’d been expecting a long delay while Maradona thought out a way through their defences – but instead he and Caniggia, who gleefully stroked home his second, had just walked through the front door.
“Caniggia was given the freedom of Massachusetts there” said John Motson on BBC commentary. He was right, but it was Maradona who had handed him the keys to the state.
No way back
Though the game would continue to flow for most of the match, and be one of the most entertaining of the entire tournament, there were no more goals.
And – though no-one knew it at the time – there would be no more for Maradona at all in an Argentina shirt.
Shortly afterwards, news came through that he had tested positive for drugs use in the Nigeria match.
But it was his reaction to scoring in the previous match against Greece – wide-eyed, staring right down the barrel of the touchline camera – that suddenly defined him. Yes of course he was on something, TV viewers said – he just looked like it. He had been banned for cocaine use before.
Without their inspirational captain, the team that had reached the last two finals of the World Cup went out to Romania in the last 16.
Would Maradona have been so good against Nigeria if he had not taken ephedrine? It’s impossible to know. It did not materially affect the World Cup, as other results meant Nigeria topped the group anyway.
Though Maradona later contested the drug test, saying it had been caused by a difference in ingredients between a brand of drink in Argentina and the US, it was to no avail.
He was out of the blue-and-white stripes, and would not be back.
-BBC
The legacy of Brazilian football legend Pelé has taken a new turn after Neymar Santos Sr, father of Brazil star Neymar Jr, confirmed the acquisition of the commercial rights to Pelé’s name and image through his agency, NR Sports.
Speaking at the Pelé Museum in Santos, Brazil, Neymar Sr said the deal marks a new chapter for one of the most iconic brands in global sport.
“We are proud. I think it’s a very strong brand. We want to strengthen its identity and adapt it to the current era,” he said, describing the project as deeply emotional and nationally significant.
Although financial details were not officially disclosed, Brazilian media estimate the acquisition at around $18 million. The rights had previously belonged to US-based company Sport 10, which many in Brazil accused of underdeveloping a national treasure.
A ‘Repatriation’ of Pelé’s Legacy
NR Sports described the agreement as a “repatriation” of Pelé’s brand—bringing back to Brazil “one of the greatest symbols in the history of world sport.”
Pelé’s daughter, Flavia, attended the announcement and welcomed the move, saying the family had tried—and failed—to reacquire the rights after Pelé’s death in 2022.
“There are no words to describe the emotion of bringing back a brand that embodies soul, humanity, and love. It’s priceless,” she told AFP.
The unveiling was accompanied by an emotional tribute at the Pelé Museum, which erected a massive green screen with Pelé’s iconic logo. A video shared on Pelé’s and NR Sports’ official accounts celebrated the “universal language” of Brazilian football, showing some of the King’s most memorable goals from his World Cup triumphs in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Neymar Jr: ‘Pelé Was Born to Change Everything’
Neymar Jr, who recently returned to Pelé’s former club Santos and has surpassed the King as Brazil’s all-time top scorer, featured in a promotional video congratulating his father’s company.
“Some are born to play, others are born to change the game. Pelé was born to change everything,” the 33-year-old forward said. “Pelé never stopped being one of us, and now he is officially part of Brazil, again and forever.”
A New Era for an Underused Global Brand
For years, Pelé’s image rights were more prominently exploited abroad than at home—a situation that drew criticism from the family and Brazilian football circles. The new deal is expected to revitalise the Pelé brand through modern marketing, partnerships, and heritage initiatives anchored in Brazil.
“This is the beginning of a motivating project for us. We are very moved,” Neymar Sr added.
Pelé, who died in December 2022 at age 82, remains an enduring symbol in Santos, São Paulo state, where he played from 1956 to 1974 and where thousands still visit his mausoleum.
With the rights now back in Brazilian hands, NR Sports says the goal is clear: preserve, expand, and enrich the legacy of the King of Football for generations to come.
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Lionel Messi expressed his wish to one day return to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on Monday, having made a brief visit to see the newly revamped stadium where he spent 21 years of his illustrious career.
The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner, who joined Barca’s youth academy at age 13 and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, left the Catalan side in 2021 when they could not make it financially viable to keep him.
Having won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi now plays for Inter Miami after two years with Paris St Germain.
Barca reopened the Camp Nou on Friday, 895 days after its closure, unveiling a revamped stadium by staging an open training session attended by 21,795 fans.
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner wrote on Instagram on Monday.
“I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do.”
Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami in October, and has previously said that the Major League Soccer club would likely be his last.
“You’re always welcome at your home, Leo,” Barca posted on X.
-Reuters
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Argentina has paid a powerful tribute to its greatest football icon, Diego Armando Maradona, by unveiling a special commemorative silver coin celebrating both the late legend’s 65th birthday and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The coin, released on October 30 — the date that would have marked Maradona’s 65th birthday — honours his unforgettable solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, often described as “the goal of the century.”
The Central Bank of Argentina announced that the limited-edition coin features a football motif on one side, while the reverse captures Maradona’s legendary dribble from his own half, past five English defenders, before coolly slotting the ball home in Mexico City.
That match, etched in global memory, also produced another of football’s most talked-about moments — the “Hand of God” goal, scored just minutes earlier. Together, those two goals defined not only a game but an era, as Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, their second in history.
“This coin immortalizes a symbol of Argentine pride — a goal that transcended sport to become a moment of national identity,” said the Central Bank in a statement.
The release is also timed to build excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — marking 40 years since Maradona’s most celebrated tournament.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, remains one of football’s most revered figures. His blend of artistry, audacity, and passion continues to inspire generations of players and fans alike.
Across Argentina, tributes poured in from fans, clubs, and former teammates, with many visiting murals, statues, and shrines dedicated to the No.10. In Buenos Aires, street musicians played “Live is Life” — the anthem that once accompanied Maradona’s famous pre-match warm-up routine at Napoli — as a reminder of his enduring magic.
For Argentina, this special-edition coin is more than a collector’s item; it is a national homage to an eternal legend, a man whose left foot and spirit still define the heartbeat of Argentine football.
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