The World Cup in quotes
Some of the best and worst comments from on and off the football pitch in South Africa.
Published On 11 Jul 2010
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| Diego Maradona, manager of the Argentine squad, was one of the officials who called it as he saw it in World Cup 2010 [AFP] |
South Africa has won praise from fans and journalists for its successful hosting of the beautiful game’s biggest event.
But some coaches and players have given and received less pleasant comments.
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Here are some of the most memorable quotes, the good, bad and ugly, from World Cup 2010.
| Diego Maradona, Argentine manager |
This was [like] a punch from Muhammad Ali. I have no strength for anything. The day I quit playing football could [have been] similar but this is much harder.
On Argentina’s 4-0 thrashing by Germany.
| Milovan Rajevac, Ghana’s coach |
Come to your senses, people. He’s not a hero, he’s a trivial cheat. What hand of God? It was the hand of the devil.
On the hand-ball from Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez which stopped a goal bound shot and cost his team a quarter final birth.
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Gennaro Gattuso, Italian midfielder |
Four years ago we were hailed as champions, today we are playing like billy goats.
On Italy’s poor performance, which saw the football powerhouse finish last in its group.
| The wife of referee Howard Webb |
He can’t take charge of his own children. I don’t know how he manages it on a football pitch.
| Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s most expensive footballer |
Goals, as a football legend once told me, are like ketchup … sometimes as much as you try, they don’t come out, and when they come, many come all at same time.
| Marcelo Bielsa, the Chilean coach |
We all learn from mistakes which we make and from mistakes which we have seen other people make, and we try to avoid making them. This is the process of making a mistake and avoiding making it again, seeing how others make mistakes to avoid making the same mistake, it’s a process which is not stable, nor can it be measured.
| Jean-Louis Valentin, director of the French team |
They don’t want to train, it’s a scandal. I’m resigning, I’m leaving the Federation. I have nothing more to do here. I’m going back to Paris.
Source: Reuters