Maradona asks Japan to review his World Cup bar

June 4, 2002

NARAHA, Japan, June 4 (Reuters) - Diego Maradona has asked Japan to reconsider its refusal to allow him entry to watch Argentina in the World Cup finals.

"Japan could review the situation," an Argentine source close to the former Argentina captain said on Tuesday.

"Maradona is less hurt about the (number 10) shirt than the (so far) unsuccessful visa negotiations," he said.

Japan refused Maradona entry because of his past history of drug abuse. He was, however, granted a visa by World Cup co-hosts South Korea but has so far not travelled to Asia.

"He said he would watch the World Cup one way or another," the source added of Maradona, who is in Cuba and has satellite television so he does not miss any matches.

Maradona, who underwent drug rehabilitation treatment in Cuba, divides his time between Buenos Aires and the Caribbean island.

Maradona would like to come to Japan to watch an Argentina side looking to repeat the World Cup triumph of the team he captained to the country's second World Cup crown in Mexico in 1986.

He was offered jobs commentating for two television broadcasters, Mexico's Televisa and the multinational Direct TV, but has yet to come to an agreement.

World soccer body FIFA refused Argentina permission to withdraw their number 10 shirt from circulation in homage to Maradona.

ENGLAND CLASH

Maradona will be upset at not being present for Argentina's second group F clash with England in Sapporo on Friday, having written arguably the most memorable and controversial chapter in a rich history of footballing rivalry between the two countries.

The present generation of Argentine players were not born when Argentina captain Antonio Rattin was sent off for protesting in the 1966 quarter-final at Wembley.

England manager Alf Ramsay, whose side won 1-0 on their way to the title, said after the match that the Argentine team had behaved likes animals, sparking a soccer enmity that remains fierce to this day. The Argentines claimed they were robbed.

Maradona's Hand of God goal that helped Argentina defeat England 2-1 in their 1986 quarter-final is the first vivid memory the present generation of players have of the rivalry.

The teams' next World Cup meeting did not come until 12 years later in the French city of St Etienne where Argentina narrowly prevented England from exacting revenge by eliminating them on penalties in the second round.

A brilliant match, delicately poised at 2-2 at halftime, was marred early in the second half by the controversial sending off of England's David Beckham for retaliation after a tackle by Diego Simeone.

England players later said that the Argentines had mocked them after the match.

Beckham now captains the England side preparing for the latest chapter in the saga in which a large number of players on both sides come face to face again.