Diego Maradona Apologizes to Platini for Insulting World Cup Remarks

Argentina coach Diego Maradona apologized to Michel Platini, the head of European soccer’s governing body, a day after making insulting remarks about him at the World Cup.

Maradona yesterday responded to reporters’ claims that Platini said he didn’t think the 1986 World Cup winner was the right man to lead his nation at the 2010 tournament in South Africa by telling a press conference that Platini “thinks of himself as being more than the rest of the world.”

After Argentina’s 4-1 win over South Korea in Johannesburg today, Maradona brandished a letter he said Platini had sent him, in which the UEFA President and former France midfielder denied questioning the Argentine’s coaching credentials.

“I want to apologize to him through you,” Maradona told reporters at the Soccer City stadium.

Maradona, 49, also said yesterday that three-time World Cup winner Pele, should “go back to the museum” after the Brazilian reportedly said that Maradona had only taken the Argentina coaching job because he needed money.

Maradona took over Argentina’s national team in November 2008 and the squad struggled to extend the country’s record of reaching every World Cup since 1978, clinching a berth in its final qualifying match.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tariq Panja at Soccer City via the London newsroom on +44- tpanja@bloomberg.net