As VIP guests go it doesn’t get much bigger than this.
Diego Maradona pitched up in Leicester today to watch Argentina take on Tonga in the Rugby World Cup.
The 1986 World Cup winner had plenty to cheer about as the Pumas ran out 35-16 winners, securing the bonus point in the 71st minute when Julian Montoya crossed for their fourth try.
They have moved above Tonga into second in Pool B, behind the All Blacks.
It’s hard to know how much Diego knows about rugby, but wasn’t going to stop him giving his all during the national anthem.
We know who Diego Maradona is supporting! #ARGvTGA #ARG #TGA #RWC2015 https://t.co/SUmP1TSr01
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 4, 2015
https://twitter.com/SivanJohn/status/650663509076787202
And once the rest of the stadium realised who was in attendance he almost stole the attention from what was happening on the pitch.
The rest of the stadium just clocked Maradona, 'Diego, Diego' rings round the stadium.
— Nick Mashiter (@nickmashiter) October 4, 2015
He even had a special greeting for Argentine rugby legend Agustín Pichot before the game.
https://twitter.com/philousports/status/650663244051431424
But Pumas fans will hope that Maradona’s presence in not a bad omen – given that his interactions with the team are usually surrounding defeats.
“Diego Maradona is a huge supporter of Pumas rugby, and a personal friend, but he only phones about rugby when Argentina are defeated,” Pichot said in 2007.
“When we lose, Diego is always the first on the phone – always to offer support and solidarity for the Pumas – but when we win, I guess he just lets us get on with celebrating. It is his philosophy.
“I had a long meeting with Diego before we left for this World Cup, to discuss our approach. We have to learn everything we can from somebody who has been a World Cup winner.”
It would appear the hoodoo is broken, which is a shame. Were Ireland and Argentina to meet in the quarter-finals the IRFU could have invited him along as a special guest.
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