After Argentina's defeat, Maradona offers to coach the national team for free.
Argentine football legend Diego Maradona offered to coach the national team for free, eight years after his last attempt ended in failure at the World Cup in South Africa; when asked if he would accept taking over the national team after their defeat at the World Cup in Russia, he stated: "Yes, and I would work for free"; the current coach, Jorge Sampaoli, has a contract until 202.
Reuters Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has offered to coach the national team for free, eight years after his last attempt ended in failure at the World Cup in South Africa.
Maradona, who followed Argentina's matches in the World Cup in Russia until their 4-3 defeat to France in the round of 16, was asked if he would like another opportunity in the role — despite the current coach, Jorge Sampaoli, having a contract until 2022.
"Yes, and I would work for free," Maradona told a Venezuelan TV station. "I wouldn't ask for anything in return."
The former Boca Juniors and Napoli player coached Argentina in the 2010 World Cup, where his team was thrashed 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals.
Since then, the star who led Argentina to their second World Cup title in 1986 has only coached two clubs in the United Arab Emirates.
Maradona is one of the most controversial figures in the world of football, and he made headlines in Russia for his passionate behavior during Argentina's matches.
Maradona was responsible for some of the most memorable images of the World Cup, celebrating victories with striking poses, showing his middle fingers to fans, and even receiving medical attention in his VIP box after suffering a drop in blood pressure.
"People think I'm happy, but my heart is heavy," Maradona said about Argentina's elimination. "I feel truly sad to see everything that was built with so much effort destroyed so easily."