ZURICH: World football federation FIFA is trying to find an appropriate role for Diego Maradona to take on some sort of ambassadorial role writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Explaining the partnership with Argentina’s former World Cup-winning captain and inspiration, a FIFA statement said:

A FIFA World Cup™ winner and a true footballing icon, Diego Armando Maradona made an outstanding and unique contribution to the game during his playing days, and has continued to do so since hanging up his boots.

As a result of this, FIFA are committed to finding the best way to collaborate with the legendary Argentinian, to ensure he has a major role in the organisation’s activities to promote the game across the globe.

Most recently, Maradona has been a key member of the nascent FIFA Legends programme, which seeks to reconnect with football’s roots via those players who helped to write the history of the world’s most popular sport.

‘El Diego’ will also contribute to FIFA’s causes through his involvement in relevant development projects, spreading the positive messages that football can deliver as FIFA returns its focus to football.

“Finally I can fulfil one of the lifelong dreams; to work alongside people who really love football,” Maradona said. 

Maradona, a World Cup runner-up in Italy in 1990 – for which at the time he blamed the then FIFA president Joao Havelange – coached Argentina at the 2010 finals in South Africa.

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