This story originally appeared on Balls.ie in 2017. We're republishing it today as we remember the life of Diego Maradona
During the nineties Oasis were kings on the music scene. They sold millions of records and their sound became the soundtrack to an entire decade, such was the ubiquity of the band. Wherever they went they were kings.... with one exception.
Even though his career had been through the mill at this point, Diego Maradona was still numero uno in Argentina. The World Cup winner's parties and drug binges are the stuff of legend, and his cocaine habit apparently started during his career to relieve the pain of injuries. Everyone knows he was mad as a bag of spiders, but this might take the biscuit.
Liam Gallagher has a Maradona storypic.twitter.com/LPu1CeWz8t
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) November 25, 2020
Liam Gallagher was recently speaking to Noisey, the music wing of VICE, as part of their British Masters series and told the interviewer about the time the band met the football hero.
We were in Argentina, we had done a gig and the next minute we were sat in the bar having a fucking drink, and then about 30 people have come, legging it in. It was like the Ant Hill Mob.
And we were going 'who the fucking hell is that?'
Sting was at the bar crying because he'd fucking had his dressing room robbed.
You can tell a story is going to be good when Sting crying at a bar is only a footnote to the whole tale. Liam continues:
And, anyway, so I found out it was Maradona, who had gone upstairs with a load of fucking madheads, and a load of fucking women of the night.
So we were going 'Look, can we just go up and meet him?' like that to the fucking interpreter.
The Gallagher brothers were allowed up to meet the Hand of God himself while the rest of Oasis waited behind, but were a bit shaken by what they encountered, which says a lot coming from them.
Liam says they encountered Maradona playing keepie-uppies with a bottle top, while his eyes with were bulging wide "and ours weren't far off." The younger sibling suggested they get a photo and leave, but not before Diego gave them a warning.
The interpreter translated the message for him thusly:
"He says 'He's told me to tell you that if you leave with any of his bitches, he'll have you shot'."
Given Maradona's alleged ties to the Comorra in Naples, it's probably not the best idea to go messing with him so.
[Noisey]
