Tony Cascarino has revealed how close he was to becoming Diego Maradona’s strike partner, saying how the late, great legend almost signed for Marseille.
The football world is in mourning for one of the game’s greatest ever players, following Maradona’s death this week.
The Argentine icon was 60 years old, passing away after suffering a heart attack at home, just weeks after successful surgery to remove a brain tumour.
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Maradona wasn’t just a once-in-a-generation player, he was undoubtedly one of the best to ever grace the field, with the forward inspiring millions with his dazzling performances for Argentina, Barcelona, Napoli and boyhood club Boca Juniors.
Naturally, tributes have been pouring in from across the globe for the footballing icon, and from different sports too, with even the All Blacks remembering the legend ahead of their Tri-Nations clash against Argentina on Saturday.
Cascarino also remembered Maradona on Saturday’s Weekend Sports Breakfast, and stunned us all by revealing how close he was to playing alongside the great.
The former Republic of Ireland and Chelsea striker explained how close Maradona was to signing for Marseille, where Casc spent three years during his playing career.
What a duo that would have been!
Alas, it wasn’t to be, though, as Maradona apparently wanted his huge entourage to be paid by the club as part of the deal to sign him!
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“He came to Marseille for talks,” explained the talkSPORT host.
“When he was leaving Napoli in 1991, because he’d done nearly seven years, I think, at Napoli, he came to Marseille and I spoke to the president about it.
“We had him in the office, he had 30 entourage with him, but the deal was so ridiculous that they just couldn’t put it together.
“They really tried to sign Diego Maradona
“Marseille is a very similar sort of town to Napoli, it’s quite a feisty place, it’s football crazy, it’s got that feel about it
“They had him in the office but the deal didn’t get done.
“That was in 1991, so three years before I got to Marseille.
“So, we NEARLY could have played together – me and Maradona up front. I think I would have just knocked the ball down for him, really!
“From what I was told, it was basically down to pounds shilling and pence, the entourage, who was getting paid and how many people were getting paid!”
Speaking about Maradona’s career and life outside of the game, Cascarino added: “The life he led, it was a rollercoaster ride.
“Whether it was his performances, whether it was him going from 11 stone to nearly 20 stone, whether it was the drugs – that was Maradona.
“It was always extreme, everything about him was that.
“I loved watching him play, he is one of the greatest of all time without a doubt. I don’t think anyone would question that.”
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