There are many players who have gone down as legends of the game, especially for a particular nation. Pele of Brazil is regarded by many as the world's best ever player, while England could really do with Sir Bobby Charlton to hammer in goals from midfield. Up there with Pele is Diego Maradona, who at times single-handedly (pun intended) won his nation matches and even World Cups.
Quite a lot of the time being a player at the very highest level does not translate to becoming a coach. There is a string of failed managers with international playing accolades, while others have never attempted a move into the dugout. Maradona's legendary status meant that once he showed an interest in the national job he was offered it, but on this day in 2010 he parted company with the AFA.
© Getty Images
Maradona had two brief, and vastly unsuccessful, spells in charge of two Argentinian club sides alongside his former teammate Carlos Fren in 1994 and 1995. The pair lasted just 12 games at Mandiyu de Corrientes with just one victory, before faring just marginally better at Racing Club - with two wins in 11 matches there. It looked as though this would be his only foray into management, but a whopping 13 years after he left Racing he took over his country, replacing Alfio Basile.
He opened his coaching role with a friendly away to Scotland in November 2008 in which Argentina won 1-0 through an early goal from Maxi Rodriguez. Things started very well for Maradona as Argentina won their first three games with him in charge, but where it mattered - qualification for the 2010 World Cup - things were looking rather more shaky.
His honeymoon period was over and the nation, still on a high to have a national legend coaching them, came back down to earth when they suffered their joint heaviest ever defeat - a 6-1 thumping by Bolivia that left Argentina on the brink of not qualifying. They were fifth, but Maradona oversaw two victories in their final games to ensure that this huge footballing nation would appear on the world's biggest stage.
© Getty Images
There came the first spot of controversy from Maradona, as he told the press to "suck it and keep on sucking it" after proving them wrong to qualify. He was handed a two-month ban, but that expired long before the World Cup so he was able to manage the side in Germany. Things started very well for him, with three victories in the group stage seeing them top the group and take on great rivals Mexico in the second round.
A comfortable 3-1 win set up a quarter-final against the host nation, but this was to prove a step too far for the 49-year-old as they crashed out 4-0. Shortly after the tournament the AFA said that he would be offered a new four-year deal, but on this day in 2010 he was voted out of his post. He wanted his coaching staff to remain with him, while the AFA did not. He did not budge and therefore his spell in charge came to an end with a nearly 75% win rate.
© Getty Images
