England are terrified: Maradona

June 5, 2002

BUENOS AIRES, June 5 (AFP) -- Argentine legend and one-time England nemesis Diego Maradona says England are running scared as they prepare to face his country in Friday's crucial World Cup Group F encounter.

Maradona destroyed England with his infamous "Hand of God" goal and then a brilliant second in the 1986 quarter-final and the 41-year-old insists that Juan Sebastian Veron and company will destroy Sven-Goran Eriksson's side.

"They will show that the English are absolutely terrified, they are quaking in their boots," Maradona said.

He told La Nacion daily that he was fed up with British tabloid reports looking to sensationalise what could be one of the all-time World Cup classics. Maradona blasted tabloid reports which quoted Argentina's Manchester United midfielder Veron as saying that "the match against the English doesn't mean anything special for me."

Maradona saw that as a complete misrepresentation. "In the papers they took his comments out of context to make it sound as if he is nervous. But tell Veron from me: Go out and play your normal game, don't listen to anyone ... they are scared to death.

"If they win they will say it was because they made Veron nervous; but if they lose they will make life impossible for him - they will drive him crazy," said Maradona, whose 1986 exploits turned him into a hate figure for the English tabloid press.

Maradona's second goal that year has just been voted the best ever strike in World Cup history - he dribbled through the English defence to score what proved to be the winner - and he says as far as he is concerned all Argentina have to do this year is turn up and the trophy is theirs.

"Argentina is the only serious team of all those playing in this tournament," he boasted. If Maradona is none too keen on the English he reserved even more ire for bitter rivals and neighbours Brazil, describing their current team as "lamentable". He added: "This team is a faithful reflection of the face of Felipao" - referring to coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.