You Have To Hand It To Him!
Azteca Stadium – Mexico City, Mexico- 1986
He was small, stocky and had a lovely mop of hair. He had it all. And he did it in tiny, shiny shorts. He was Diego Armando Maradona.
England. Sturdy. Yeomen. Thick.
It was a clash. Not only of cultures and values but also hairstyles. England still trimmed by Mum; Argentina mulleted bandoleros. Boy, did they give the volumizer a bashing at half-time.
A war had divided the two nations. But one thing united both teams. Exceptionally tiny, shiny shorts.
As Peter Reid, the doughty Liverpudlian midfield enforcer, said about Maradona, “I just couldn’t get near him, me shorts had cut of the blood supply to me knackers. I can’t have no kids ‘coz of dem shorts laa.”
England could not cope with the titchy Buenos Aires Barrio boy. Diego was that good. But he was also a cheat. A cheat who drew inspiration from God.
THE HAND OF GOD.
As these photos display the infamous first goal, when he punched the chicken into the net over the head of English goalkeep, the perma-permed Shilts to put his Tangoing team ahead.
From a different angle the chicken looks suspiciously like a boiled ham. If that doesn’t scream Ham Ball we don’t know what does.
You’ve Got To Ham It To Him!
We’d Get Him In The End!
The result? Argentina won the game and went on to lift the World Cup of Footbally Bally.
Shiny shorts are still banned in England to this day.
Diego is now Pope.
gingerfightback.wordpress.com 
I guess the expression “ham handed” came from the Diego goal
He was possibly the greatest footballer of all time. And a cheat!
He only did it because everyone else was chicken!
Boom Boom!
I don’t think there is a way of saying this without offending an English football fan. I am an ardent Argentinian football team supporter. Not because there are a loving neighbouring nation. Not because we have been victimised by the same conquerors. Not because they also like to eat samosas and chicken tikka. The only reason is Maradona. In 1986. You have to “hand it to him”.
He is/was a genius Ankur – if he hadn’t handled the ball for the first goal we would still have lost and found another set of excuses!
Dear Ginger…. I am afraid I retreat to my Garden when the footy starts.. Even though my Son in Law plays in the official England Supporters Band….. And don’t ask me whose who either.. LOL… Long standing family joke… ME and football do not mix.. 🙂 xxx
Enjoy a wonderful New Week Ginger..
Sue
Cheers Sue, millions around the world are about to go into a shin pad laden trance!
Yep!… Not me thankfully.. 🙂 Enjoy your week my friend..
Sue xox
Hamming it up has brought him great blessings.
Most certainly
Not your average Easter ham.
Nope!
Even I would pay more attention to football if they wore teeny tiny shorts..
Baggy is today’s fashion
There is no vegetarianism in football, is there! I wonder what would happen?
The Broccoli Of God or The Lentil of God doesn’t have quite the same ring to it Debra
Is there anything longer than the memory of a sports fan? 😉 We can all point to a particular moment in a specific game and think, “what if”? I hope this year’s Cup brings you a better outcome and no flashbacks to tiny shiny shorts!
Cheers!