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Peter Reid: "I'm still bitter about the handball, but he was a genius"




Peter Reid:
Soccer

Peter Reid: "I'm still bitter about the handball, but he was a genius"

After the passing of Diego Maradona on Wednesday, former England international Peter Reid joined OTB Sports to recount an unforgettable day in the Argentine's career. 

One of those English players left chasing Diego Maradona in the Azteca Stadium 34 years ago, Peter Reid is inextricably linked to one of the Argentine's finest moments.

"I wish I was linked a little bit closer," he told Off The Ball on Wednesday's show with a laugh, "I wish I had caught him, but there you go."

On a day where Diego Maradona demonstrated what journalist Tim Vickery described as the "Argentinian Dream", Reid cannot escape what the day means for him and his teammates.

"The first goal he cheated," making no bones about his thoughts on the infamous first goal that game, "Hand of God? Well, it wasn't my God. When you talk about the second one though,  I mean it was a genius at work."

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"I think the only thing he didn't have was a right foot," Reid suggested. "Then again, when you have a wand of a left foot like he had... it was nearly as good as [Kevin] Sheedy's.

"He was one of the greatest footballers to ever walk the planet."

Along with Peter Reid on tonight's Off The Ball was the former Liverpool and Sampdoria midfielder Graeme Souness. A regular opponent of Souness in their days as Serie A players, you can read what the Scot made of Diego Maradona here.

Be sure to tune in to OTB AM tomorrow morning from 7:30 am where the tributes to Diego Maradona will continue across the morning

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1986 World Cup Argentina Diego Maradona England Peter Reid