Maradona owns up to 'Hand of God'

  Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, seen here in June 2005, admitted for the first time that he had deliberately used his hand to score a controversial goal against England in the 1986 World Cup (AFP) Diego Maradona acknowledged that he struck the ball with his hand in the famous "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals.

Speaking on his local television talk show Monday night, Maradona called one of soccer's most controversial goals "something that just came out of me. It was a bit of mischief."

Maradona appeared to punch the ball into the net, and officials allowed the goal to stand（有效的） despite protests by the English team. Argentina went on to win the 1986 quarterfinal match 2-1 and then win the World Cup.

In his most detailed comments yet, Maradona said he was unable to reach the ball for a header（头球） when he went up against the taller English goalkeeper, Peter Shilton.

Shilton "was very tall. He didn't see anything, and a teammate told him" afterward what happened, said Maradona.

After the score, Maradona said he quickly realized the line referee had allowed the goal but none of his teammates had rushed to celebrate with him -- themselves figuring the goal would be waved off.

"I was waiting for my teammates to embrace me and no one came," said Maradona, who was the team captain. "I told them, 'Come hug me or the referee isn't going to allow it."'

In his 20-year career before retiring in 1997, Maradona starred at Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors and in Europe. He also led Argentina to the 1990 World Cup final and won Italian and Argentine league titles.

In 1991, Maradona failed a drug test and was banned for 15 months. Nine years later, FIFA chose him and Pele as the best players in soccer history.

Recently, he was appointed vice president of Boca Juniors. And with his new TV show, Maradona, 45, has returned to the limelight after years of dealing with cocaine addiction and health problems.
 

　

阿根廷足坛巨星迭戈·马拉多纳最近终于承认，在1986年世界杯对英格兰的四分之一决赛中，他确实是用手打入了那著名的号称“上帝之手”的进球。

本周一晚，马拉多纳在当地电视台的脱口秀节目中谈到了这个足球史上最有争议的进球之一，他说：“确实是我做的，有点恶作剧的意思。”

当时，马拉多纳用手把球打进球门，尽管英格兰队提出了抗议，当职裁判仍然判这个进球有效。凭借“上帝之手”，阿根廷队在1986年世界杯上以2比1赢了四分之一决赛，并且最后一举捧得“大力神杯”。

马拉多纳对“上帝之手”做了至今为止最详尽的描述。他说当他跳起来面对比他高得多的英格兰队门将彼德·希尔顿时，他根本碰不到皮球，所以，头球是不可能的。

马拉多纳说：希尔顿“太高大了，他什么也没看到，后来还是其他队员告诉他的。”

用手把球打进球门后，马拉多纳说，他马上就意识到边裁判进球有效，但是没有一个队友冲上来为他庆祝，他们都以为这个球会被判无效。

“我在等我的同伴们和我拥抱，可是，居然没有一个人这样做。我对他们说：‘快过来，拥抱我，不然裁判会判这个球无效的。’”马拉多纳说，那场球他是场上的队长。

1997年，马拉多纳正式挂靴。在他长达20年的职业生涯中，无论在阿根廷青年队还是博卡青年队，以及后来去欧洲踢球，他都是场上的明星。他还把阿根廷队带进了1990年世界杯的决赛，并无数次带队在意大利和阿根廷足球联赛中夺魁。

1991年，马拉多纳在一次药检中被发现吸食毒品，并因此被停赛15个月。9年后，他和球王贝利被国际足联评为国际足球史上最伟大的球员。

最近，他被任命为阿根廷博卡青年队副主席，并开始主持电视节目。这使现年45岁的马拉多纳在深受吸食毒品和健康问题困扰多年之后又重新成为万众瞩目的焦点。