If any one photo represented the phrase “What could possibly go wrong?”, this has to be it. If any aliens are watching Earth right now, please do not judge us on this. Maradona, 50, the Argentinian soccer legend and late coach of that country’s national team, has been hired to coach Al Wasl, the United Arab Emirates Football League club based in Dubai. Maradona, 50, has not managed a team since losing to Germany 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup. Let the mayhem begin.
Goal.com Arabia reports that Maradona will earn €3.5 million a year with his new club and will use the same technical staff that he employed at the 2010 World Cup with Argentina.
Al Wasl sit fourth in the UAE Football League table with five games of the season remaining and had been without a permanent manager after they sacked the Brazilian Sergio Farias last month.
Fun fact: Al Wasl is owned by Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the brother of the head of the UAE government.
Another fun fact: the official religion of the UAE is Islam. Which should go well with the following Maradona facts.
- Was suspended for 15 months in 1991 after failing a drug test, for cocaine.
- Was sent home from the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for ephedrine.
- In 2007 was hospitalized in Buenos Aires for hepatitis and effects of alcohol abuse.
- Is friends with Cuban leader Fidel Castro and has a tattoo of Che Guevara on his right arm.
- In 2009, Italian police seized his earrings in an effort to recover unpaid taxes he incurred while playing in Italy.
- Told reporters they could “suck it and keep on sucking it” after a loss in World Cup qualifying in 2009. The following year, ran over reporter’s foot with his car and then cursed at him following the announcement of Argentina’s World Cup squad.
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Diego Maradona to return to management with Al Wasl [Guardian UK]
