Soccer gods smile on as Pele, Maradona unite

BUENOS AIRES - Rival soccer legends Diego Maradona and Pele left bitterness behind in a unique televised encounter that had them chatting, hugging and singing off-key.

Pele was the guest of honor as Maradona kicked off a weekly variety show called "La Noche del 10," a reference to his jersey number. Although the men seemed stiff at first, the ice broke quickly when Maradona brought up a familiar topic: drug addiction.

Maradona was hooked on cocaine for years and spent months in rehab last year after respiratory and heart problems sent him to the hospital. Pele's son, Edinho, was recently jailed in Brazil to face trial on drug charges.

When Maradona offered sympathy for the son's troubles, Pele responded: "You are an example for him because you are a conqueror."

"Your programme is going out to the world, and I think together we can do many things in the world to help a lot of people," the 64-year-old Brazilian icon said.

Maradona, 44, has said he would die if he returned to his partying ways. The former Argentina captain is strikingly slim after undergoing a stomach-stapling operation in March that should reduce his ability to eat.

And although his debut as a TV presenter was spotty, Maradona looked healthy and happy, a stark contrast to a seemingly dazed interview he gave on Argentine television last year.

Pele, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958 and 1970, was gracious and cheerful. He reluctantly agreed to play guitar and sing a song he had composed, in exchange for Maradona singing a soccer tango a cappella.

The two men talked about world soccer politics and past dirty tricks to foil their opponents. They wrapped up their meeting by exchanging signed jerseys and heading a soccer ball back and forth impeccably.

Pele and Maradona have had previous public disagreements, with Maradona accusing Pele of turning world soccer body FIFA against him. And of course, there's been an endless debate over which of the two is the best player in the game's history.

Maradona's other guests included Argentine pop singers, actors, tennis great Gabriela Sabatini and top Argentine goal-scorer Gabriel Batistuta. His co-host was goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea, with whom Maradona reached the World Cup finals in 1990 only to lose to Germany.

The two-hour-long programme included sappy music, a bizarre talking soccer ball, and endless tributes to Maradona, whose nickname in Argentina is simply "God".

At a media conference after the show, a Brazilian journalist asked Maradona who was better on the soccer field, him or Pele.

"My mother says it was me and Pele's mother say it was him," Maradona said, his grin irrepressible.

- REUTERS