Ballboy treasures priceless souvenir of Maradona's visit to Celtic Park

Published on Monday 17 November 2008 22:57

THE cult of Diego Maradona was plain to see last night at Parkhead as a lost trinket brought a 13-year-old together with Argentina's football legend.

Adam Brown was born into a world that had all but given up on the player, who, back in 1995 and in the midst of a cocaine addiction, was then a shadow of his former self. Yet the teenager from Cumbernauld still knew enough about Maradona's contribution to football to recognise the significance of the moment he was hoisted into the air by the same hands which lifted the World Cup in 1986. Indeed, he swooned, later referring to Maradona as his "hero". For once, Henrik Larsson had to accept that his legend had been eclipsed in the east end of Glasgow.

Brown, a winger for the Celtic under-14 side, had just found a St Christopher medallion lost by Real Madrid's Fernando Gago during last night's training session, the first overseen by Maradona since his controversial appointment as Argentina coach. Maradona called an early halt to the session, and was not above joining the Celtic ball boys in the hunt for the broach. A frantic ten minute search ensued, before Brown let out an excited yelp. There in the turf lay the item of jewellery. The youngster's own prize was still to come. Maradona approached him, and though not much taller than the boy – the official statistics state Maradona is 5ft 5in, though in the flesh he looks even smaller – managed to hoist him into the sky. The cameras flashed, the tapes rolled. The hundreds of journalists present, some who had travelled from as far away as Australia, had their story.

Maradona pushed his hat into Brown's hand, and then pulled off both his gloves with his teeth. Not only will Brown be the warmest child in Cumbernauld this winter, he will also be the most popular. In the absence of words from Maradona himself – he fronts an eagerly-awaited press conference in a Glasgow hotel today – the youngster was the only interview worth getting. He handled each television engagement like a pro. He simply moved down the line, from camera to camera, happy to be an extra in the always surreal, always fascinating narrative that is the life of Maradona.

"It was as gold medallion that came off a necklace," he explained. "There was a face on it – I don't know whose." His fellow ballboys crowded round his shoulders, understandably keen to get a piece of the action. "I am glad I brushed my teeth this morning," said one. Another, piqued that Brown was taken off by himself for some further photographs, lamented how their friend was "too famous" for them now.

This is the Maradona effect. Even Presidents are not immune to it. Fidel Castro offered him a haven in Cuba after a near-death experience in 2004. It was hard to credit that the Maradona we saw last night was the same man, though a slight limp betrayed the fact he is not quite 100 per cent fit at present. Other than this, however, he looked frighteningly like the young boy who came to Hampden Park in 1979 and grew into a man. Indeed, it was possible to compare the image of Maradona then and Maradona now.

Celtic used their vast scoreboards at each end of the ground to welcome Maradona. A large photo accompanied the message, taken from the game against Scotland when he first previewed his talents for European viewers by scoring his first goal for his country.

'El futbol club Celtic de la bienvenida a Diego Maradona y a todo el equipo de Argentina a nuestro campo de futbol 'el Paraiso', ran the script above both goals. A helpful translation was scanned into the electric advertising hoardings which run alongside the pitch: 'Celtic welcomes Diego Maradona and Argentina to Paradise'. Also present for Maradona's first official training session with Argentina were the usual battalion of journalists and photographers. The flashes from cameras lit the way as Maradona made his way down the Parkhead tunnel, out onto Paradise.

Almost 30 years after he last set foot on a Scottish football field he was back, the battles both on the field and off it behind him – for now. Having succumbed to the persuasive powers of cocaine it was simply gladdening to note that his principal addiction remains football. Although comfortably the smallest man on show, he was the star last night. The gaze was fastened on him throughout the session, also attended by the likes of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, of Manchester United and Liverpool respectively.

There was little evidence of the tactical nous Maradona might bring, but his aura seemed to ensure the players kept themselves busy as they were divided into blue and red-bibbed teams. Maradona took the role of referee, and as one wag commented, is perhaps the best seen at Parkhead for a while. That he has breath left in his body to still blow his whistle is something to celebrate after his recent, well-publicised troubles.