7月28日，阿根廷足协发言人埃内斯托·比阿洛宣布，阿根廷足协执行委员会决定终止和国家队主教练马拉多纳的合同，马拉多纳将不再担任阿根廷国家队主教练。

       据悉，阿根廷足协对马拉多纳开出了基本不可能的续约条件，即必须遣散当前的教练班子，老马才能得以继续留任，这无疑是变相地解雇球王。马拉多纳也在执教阿根廷一年半之后，成为阿根廷历史上寿命最短的主教练。

    The Argentine Football Association (AFA) decided not to extend Diego Maradona’s contract as national team coach on July 27, said AFA spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo.

    Doubts had surrounded the 49-year-old’s celebrity ever since a tense meeting with AFA president Julio Grondona on July 26. Newspapers spent oceans of ink speculating on which person would succeed the man who led the team to victory as the star player of the 1986 World Cup.

    Striking discharge

    The AFA announced that his contract would not be renewed following comments made by Mr. Maradona during a television interview earlier in the week. Mr. Maradona said that he wanted to continue in his role on the condition that he could keep his staff. The AFA was said to be keen for a shake-up, in particular the removal of defensive coach Oscar Ruggeri. 

    AFA president Julio Grondona made no secret of his wish to axe Mr. Ruggeri but Mr. Maradona refused to comply with the request during a meeting with Mr. Grondona. That stubbornness may have cost him his job. 

    Controversial coaching

    As an inexperienced coach, Mr. Maradona’s record over 18 months was less than stellar -- his team qualified for the World Cup finals by the skin of their teeth. Mr. Maradona became Argentina’s coach in November of 2008, replacing Alfio Basile. His coaching results were mixed.

    The Argentine team suffered two of the worst losses in history, a 6-1 hammering at Bolivia in World Cup qualifying and a 4-0 battering by Germany in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

    Although several players spoke up for him after a run to the quarterfinals of the World Cup, the AFA decided it was time to give the job to someone else.

    During his tenure, Mr. Maradona called up over 100 players. The 23-man World Cup squad he announced in May excluded veteran defender Javier Zanetti and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, both of whom play for Champions League winner Inter Milan.

    In a surprise move, he picked Ariel Garce for his squad even though the defender played his first international for Argentina in May against Haiti.