Maradona In The Eyes Of Peter Shilton, Greatest But Not Sports

JAKARTA - Diego Maradona was indeed the greatest but because he did not want to apologize for his 'Hand of God' goal he was also unsportsmanlike, said former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton as quoted by Reuters.

Maradona died of a heart attack at his home in Buenos Aires last Wednesday, less than a month from his 60th birthday.

Shilton was in charge of England as they met Argentina in Mexico's World Cup quarter-final when in the sixth minute of the second half Maradona jumped in front of him to punch the ball into the net after the goalkeeper came out of his nest to clear the ball.

"Clearly a violation. Cheating," wrote Shilton in the Daily Mail.

"When he ran for the celebration he even had time to look back twice, as if waiting for the referee's whistle. He knew what he had done. Everyone knows, apart from the referee and the two linesmen."

Maradona returned to England for the second time with a goal that was arguably the best ever World Cup goal after bringing the ball from his own area of play past the English players, but Shilton declared the Argentine legend's first goal a problem.

"I don't care what people say, that goal won Argentina," he continued.

"He scored a brilliant second almost immediately after that, but we are still jolted by what happened a few minutes earlier. It has haunted me for years, I don't want to lie to that now."

Shilton stated that the fact that Maradona never apologized made him and his England teammates at the time remain disappointed with Maradona.

"It looks like he has grandeur but sadly is unsportsmanlike. Most of the English team players who play in Mexico feel like me," said the 71-year-old.

"On the football pitch the players did things they probably shouldn't have done. It happened in that moment. I hope it doesn't tarnish Maradona's legacy."