From Diego to the People of Iran [De Diego al pueblo iraní]

 

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Con todo cariño

Después del showbol del sábado, Maradona recibió en el vestuario del Luna Park al encargado de negocios de Irán, Mohsen Baharavand, y le regaló su camiseta.

With All My Love

After the exhibition football of Saturday, Maradona received Iran’s charge d’affaires in Argentina Mohsen Baharvand in the locker room of the Luna Park, and Maradona gave his T-shirt to Baharvand.

Diego’s message to the people of Iran.
Fue después de jugar el showbol contra Brasil. Maradona recibió al encargado de negocios de ese país, Mohsen Baharavand, en el vestuario y le entregó la remera.  El diplomático le obsequió un jarrón de Isfahan.  “Estoy con el pueblo de Irán”, dijo el Diez.

Diego recibió el sábado por la noche al encargado de negocios iraní, Mohshen Baharavand, en su vestuario después de jugar el showbol frente a Brasil en el Luna Park. Diego le entregó al diplomático una camiseta dedicada especialmente. “Con todo mi cariño para el pueblo de Irán”, escribió el 10 sobre la remera que será enviada al Museo de Presentes del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores iraní para que pueda ser vista por todos.

Durante el encuentro, Maradona, un conocido opositor a George W. Bush, le dijo al diplomático: “Ya conocí a Fidel (Castro) a (Hugo) Chávez, ahora sólo me falta conocer a su presidente. Quiero conocer a (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad”.

Luego de recibir la camiseta autografiada por Maradona, Baharavand, la máxima autoridad iraní en Argentina, le entregó a Diego un típico jarrón de Isfahan, una de las artesanías persas más trabajadas y conocidas de su país.

“Estoy con los iraníes de todo corazón, de verdad lo digo, lo digo porque lo siento y estoy con el pueblo de Irán”, confesó el 10, que se mostró muy agradecido por el regalo recibido.

El encuentro terminó con un fuerte abrazo entre los dos y la promesa de que Baharavand trasmitirá los deseos de Diego de conocer al presidente de su país.

It was after playing exhibition football against Brazil.  Maradona received Iran’s charge d’affaires in this country, Mohsen Baharvand, in the locker room, and he gave the T-shirt to him.  The diplomat presented him a vase from Isfahan.  “I am with the people of Iran,” said el Diez [Maradona’s nickname, named after the Number Ten shirt he wore playing for Argentina].

Diego received Iran’s charge d’affaires, Mohsen Baharvand, in his locker room Saturday night, after playing exhibition football against Brazil in the Luna Park.  Diego gave the diplomat a specially dedicated T-shirt.  “With all my love for the people of Iran,” el Diez wrote on the T-shirt, which will be sent to the Museum of Gifts of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that it can be seen by all.

During the encounter, Maradona, a well-known opponent of George W. Bush, said to the diplomat: “I already know Fidel (Castro) and (Hugo) Chávez.  Now I only haven’t met your president.  I want to meet (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad.”

After receiving the T-shirt autographed by Maradona, Baharvand, the highest Iranian authority in Argentina, gave Diego a typical vase of Isfahan, one of the most famous and elaborate Persian crafts in his country.

“I am with the Iranians with all my heart.  I really mean it, I say it because I feel it.  I am with the people of Iran,” confessed el Diez, who showed much gratitude for the gift he received.

The encounter ended with a big hug between the two and the promise that Baharvand will convey Diego’s wish to meet the president of his country.


This article was first published in Olé on 24 December 2007. Translation by Yoshie Furuhashi (@yoshiefuruhashi | yoshie.furuhashi [at] gmail.com).  Eduardo Galeano said of Maradona: for many years he committed “el pecado de ser el mejor, el delito de denunciar a viva voz las cosas que el poder manda callar y el crimen de jugar con la zurda, lo cual, según el Pequeño Larousse Ilustrado, significa ‘con la izquierda’ y también significa ‘al contrario de cómo se debe hacer’ [the sin of being the best, the offense of loudly condemning the things that the powerful ordered silenced, and the crime of playing left-handed, which, according to The Little Illustrated Larousse, means being ‘with the Left’ and also means being ‘contrary to what we are supposed to do’]” (El Fútbol a sol y sombra, 1995).  The man-child is still playing left-handed, after all these years.