The world-famous Argentine football player turned head coach of Argentina’s national football team will have to look for new work. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has decided not to renew Diego Maradona’s contract as head coach of the Argentine team.

In a press conference held yesterday, the AFA spokesman, Ernesto Cherquis Bialo, made the announcement.

Bialo told reporters: “What I have to say in the name of the AFA is that the president told the committee members of what was discussed with Mr. Diego Armando Maradona, he presented the main points of yesterday’s long conversation with him, and after that the president had to be held accountable for what was discussed. In turn, the Executive Committee, with the unanimous decision of its members, has resolved not to renew the contract of Mr. Diego Armando Maradona for the position of head coach. This gives the AFA much sorrow. Today ends the first era with Mr. Maradona, who will always find open doors in this house.”

This has many wondering who will succeed Maradona, who lead the team since November 2008.

To tame this curiosity Bialo told ‘Clarín’: “Today they are going to put in the agenda the selection of a new coach. But none of the members have even begun to think of a name of a successor.”

According to ‘Pagina 12’, Sergio Batista, head coach of the Argentina National Under-20 team and former teammate of Maradona, will fill in as head coach for Argentina’s game against Ireland on 11^th August.

Argentina’s dreams of becoming World Champions were shattered today as they were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by Germany in the World Cup quarter-final in Cape Town. Two goals from Miroslav Klose, and one each from Arne Friedrich and Thomas Müller consigned Argentina to their heaviest World Cup Finals defeat since 1974, as Germany produced a devastating counter-attacking play.

Fielding the same starting eleven as against México, Diego Maradona surprised some by continuing with Maximiliano Rodríguez as the side’s playmaker ahead of Juan Sebastián Verón and deploying Ángel Di María on the right-hand side of midfield instead of the left, where he had been highly effective.

Germany started the better of the two sides, taking the lead just three minutes into the game. Nicolás Otamendi, who was to have a torrid afternoon on the right flank of the Argentine defence at the hands of Lukas Podolski, conceded a free-kick after fouling his German nemesis, from which Bastian Schweinsteiger curled in the ball for Müller to head Germany in front. Argentina tried to get themselves back into the game, but they could not penetrate the German defence and struggled to gain possession. Schweinsteiger was in imperious form in the German midfield dictating the play leaving Javier Mascherano  to chase shadows, as he struggled to track the forward runs of Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira.

Argentina started the second half more brightly, having more of the play as Lionel Messi probed for an opening in the German defence and Carlos Tévez harried his opponents in search of the ball. However, their efforts were to no avail, and Germany effectively sealed their place in the last four when Klose doubled their lead on 67 minutes. Again Otamendi was at fault – how Maradona must have rued leaving Javier Zanetti at home – as Podolski again got the better of him to slide the ball across goal to leave Klose an easy tap in.

As Argentina cantered forward in search of a way back into the game, Germany exploited the resultant gaps in the Argentine defence at will, and were rewarded with a third goal in the 74^th minute as Friedrich bundled the ball in from close range. The final coup-de-grâce was delivered a minute from time by Klose as he struck his second goal of the game in his 100^th game for his country.

In the final analysis Maradona, through his tactical and squad selections, was architect of his own downfall. The decision to go into the tournament without a recognised right-back was ruthlessly exposed by Germany, whilst the inability to get any meaningful possession and the inability to penetrate Germany’s defences rendered Argentina’s much vaunted attacking trio neutered for the want of a Verón or an Esteban Cambiasso.      

Argentina confirmed their place in the second round of the World Cup with a convincing 2-0 win over Greece in Polokwane. Goals late on from Martín Demichelis and Martín Palermo helped Argentina to maintain their 100% winning record in a game that they dominated from start to finish.

With qualification for the next phase all but certain, coach Diego Maradona was able to make a number of changes to protect some of his first choice players from injury and the threat of suspension, and to give a run out to some of his reserves. Coming into the game for their first starts of the tournament were Nicolás Burdisso, Clemente Rodríguez, Mario Bolatti, Nicolás Otamendi, Diego Milito and Sergio Agüero, whilst Lionel Messi was handed the captain’s armband for the first time in the absence of Javier Mascherano.

Having dominated possession for the first quarter of an hour it was Argentina who created the first real shot at goal, with Agüero forcing a fine save from Alexandros Tzorvas in the Greek goal after cutting into the left-hand side of the penalty area. Tzorvas was soon back in action from the resultant corner, being forced to tip a sweetly struck Juan Sebastián Verón shot over the crossbar.

However, despite having a virtual monopoly on the ball, Argentina were frustrated in their attempts at making a breakthrough as the Greeks defended with 11 men behind the ball, and Vasileios Torosidis did an effective marking job on Messi.

On the stroke of half-time Maxi Rodríguez forced a fine save from Tzorvas, who followed up with another one seconds later from Messi.

In the second-half Greece started more adventurously as the score in the other group game gave them hope that they might progress as well. On 47 minutes, Georgios Samaras broke past Demichelis for Greece into the left side of the area but then dragged his shot wide of the right-hand post.

The game began to open up more for Argentina in the 54^th minute when Messi’s nemesis, Torosidis was forced to go off injured, releasing the shackles and giving Messi more freedom to roam the pitch.

With 13 minutes remaining Argentina broke the deadlock, Demichelis stabbing the ball home after his initial header was blocked by Milito. For the remainder of the match Messi ran the Greeks ragged. With five minutes left a mazy run was finished with thundering shot that thundered back off the post, and then three minutes later the result was put beyond doubt when again Messi set off on another slalom, only to see his shot saved by Tzorvas, however substitute Palermo was on hand to sweep the rebound into the goal.

Argentina now face México in Johannesburg on Sunday in a rematch of the last World Cup for a place in the quarter-final.

Argentina opened their 2010 World Cup campaign with a comfortable 1-0 win over Nigeria in Johannesburg’s Ellis Park. A sixth-minute Gabriel Heinze header was sufficient to secure victory and join South Korea on three points at the top of Group B.

Coach Diego Maradona went into the game with an attacking 4-3-3 formation designed to give Lionel Messi freedom to roam, moving Jonás Gutiérrez back from his customary wide midfield position to right-back. The move appeared to work almost from the off as Argentina dominated the early play. On five minutes Messi forced a fine save from Vincent Enyeama in the Nigerian goal, and Argentina capitalised from the resultant Juan Sebastián Verón corner, as an unmarked Heinze headed high into the net.

Argentina continued to control proceedings, with Verón picking out players at will, and Messi using his free-role to great effect, curled in two goal-bound efforts that were only denied by the agility of Enyeama. Meanwhile Gonzalo Higuaín spurned two gilt-edged chances to score as Argentina played keep ball to starve Nigeria of possession. On the rare occasions that the Africans were able to penetrate the Argentine defence, it was Gutiérrez, playing out of position, that was the culprit, and on 40 minutes he was booked for a knee-high challenge on Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi.

The second-half started in much the same vein as the first, as Messi steered the ball narrowly wide after being put clear by Verón. Midway through the second period Argentina almost doubled their lead when Carlos Tévez instigated a four on two break into the Nigerian half, putting Messi away for another chance, but again the Barcelona man shot just wide. With both sides tiring from the effects of playing at altitude, Nigeria came more into the match in the final quarter, Sergio Romero making his first real save of the game in the 77^th minute to deny Obafemi Martins, whilst Kalu Uche blazed over the bar four minutes later after Yakubu Ayegbeni turned the Argentine defence. However la albiceleste having introduced fresh legs in the shape of Maxi González, Diego Milito and Nicolás Burdisso, were able to see out the win and claim a precious three points.

Next up for Argentina will the South Koreans in Johannesburg’s Soccer City on Thursday. The winner of that clash will almost certainly win the group and claim an easier draw in the second round.