FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter yesterday strongly criticised Diego Maradona's threat to bring players out on strike during the World Cup if plans for bigger goals go ahead.
"We must remember that, in 1986, (Maradona) needed to use his hands to score a goal," Blatter said in reference to the controversial goal scored by the Argentinian against England in the quarter finals in Mexico.
Maradona's threat to lead players out on strike at the 1998 finals in France came after Blatter proposed enlarging the goal to make games more exciting. Under the plan, goalposts would be widened by the width of two balls - approximately 50 centimetres - while the height of the crossbar would increase by one ball's diameter.
Blatter said: "Maradona has said many things in his life ... I do not think players will go one strike. In 1998 he will be 38 years old and I'm note sure if he, will be able to play."
Blatter said that goalkeepers were taller and bigger built now band there were better boots for scoring.
But while Blatter was damning Maradona Argentinian; president Carlos Menem was praising him. Yesterday Menem talked of Maradona's sincerity and bravery in publicly admitting his drugs problem in a magazine interview earlier this week, describing his, confession as a valiant gesture.
