Mesut Ozil with Germany teammate Lukas Podolski (Cameron Spencer/Getty)
Diego Maradona is a creature of habit and as has been his wont after each Argentina game at the World Cup, the manager changed from his smart grey suit into a tracksuit for the press conference at Cape Town’s Green Point stadium before delivering a verdict on his team’s 4-0 thrashing by Germany.
“This,” he said, “is the most difficult thing I’ve had to deal with.” Coming from a man who has known his troubles, that meant something. “It is like a punch from Muhammad Ali,” he added. “The only thing I could compare it with is the day I gave up football.” There will be sadness at the departure of Maradona because he has been at his most endearing through the finals and before