Dundee United great Paul Hegarty was ‘privileged’ to be on the field when Maradona destroyed Scotland

Paul Hegarty watched Diego Maradona pick the ball up near the halfway line against England at the 1986 World Cup.

He knew Maradona would score before he evaded the first tackle.

Hegarty had seen it all before.

The Dundee United legend played against Maradona on June 2 1979 at Hampden when the teenager ran riot to help Argentina defeat Scotland 3-1.

That friendly featured Maradona’s first international goal, along with a series of trademark runs where it seemed he could ghost past rivals as if they weren’t there.

Jock Stein knew about Maradona’s magic

Argentina had won the World Cup on home soil in 1978 without the man who would go on to become one of the game’s greatest players.

At the time, Maradona was still just 18, but word had spread about his prodigious talent.

“I had heard his name in our pre-match build-up, had noted that he was highly rated by the boss, Jock Stein,” said Hegarty in his 1987 memoir.

“But nothing had prepared any of us out there on the park for his all-round ability.

“It didn’t matter how the ball arrived, he had it under control instantly.

“And he wasn’t stationary when he got it, he was in his stride and coming at us.

“Do you remember the wonder-goal Maradona scored against England in the World Cup of 1986?

We were privileged to be among the first to see the rise and rise of Diego Maradona in Europe.” Dundee United legend Paul Hegarty.

“The one where he got to the ball in midfield and weaved past player after player before drawing Peter Shelton and gliding the ball past him?

“I was watching on television and shouting that he was going to score long before he did, because I saw in that move all the great things he had promised at Hampden.

“And I grieved for those England defenders as I grieved for myself at Hampden.”

Maradona was mesmerising against Scotland

Maradona’s run to glory against England was voted the greatest goal ever scored at the World Cup and came four minutes after the infamous Hand of God goal.

However, at Hampden, he showed the talent which would help him drag his country to the Mexico ’86 crown.

He evaded three tackles to set up striker Leopoldo Luque’s 33rd-minute opener.

Maradona then lashed a left-foot shot against a post before Luque scored again, after beating Scotland’s offside trap.

Maradona scored Argentina’s third in the 70th minute.

One sidestep fooled the entire Scotland defence before finishing past George Wood.

There was a late consolation from Arthur Graham.

“He had a left foot like a magic wand,” said Hegarty.

“He can see three or four moves ahead, if not more, just like a great snooker player in a game that is played at many times the speed of the one on the green baize.

“I don’t like getting beaten, no footballer worth his salt does, but sometimes in a beating you have been privileged to be part of something else.

“We were privileged to be among the first to see the rise and rise of Diego Maradona in Europe.”

So good was he that day that even the Tartan Army applauded when he scored.

Maradona could not believe the Hampden reception

Maradona was still plying his trade with Argentinos Juniors and recorded his experience of scoring at Hampden in a diary for Argentine magazine El Grafico.

“Valencia was almost unmarked and he played a long pass,” wrote Maradona.

“I took the ball and looked at the goal. The goalie stayed on his line and the defenders came to close me down. I fooled them I was going to shoot high.

“The goalkeeper thought I was going to do that and I kicked it slowly at the centre of the goal. Did you see how I screamed? What emotion I felt. It was unforgettable.

“Afterwards, the crowd started to scream ‘Argentina’.

“I couldn’t believe it. I took a good look at the stands to convince myself I was in Glasgow and not Buenos Aires.

“I don’t think this has ever happened before. The opposition made a guard of honour to applaud us as we left the pitch and the Scots in the stands gave us a standing ovation.

“A cameraman called me to do an interview.

“I felt a lot of emotion when he shook my hand and told me that he was grateful for what I’d done in the name of all Argentinians.”

A full circle moment at Hampden

Maradona went on to thrill a generation, challenging Brazilian legend Pele for the title of football’s greatest player.

Maradona was a classic number 10 and set the world record transfer fee twice.

The first time was in 1982 when he moved to Barcelona from Boca Juniors for £5m, and second, when he transferred to Napoli for £6.9m.

It was in Italy that his club career flourished, and he led Napoli to two Serie A titles.

He won 91 caps for Argentina, scored 34 goals and played in four World Cups.

Although he had little managerial experience, he became his country’s head coach in November 2008, and held the job for 18 months.

Fittingly, Maradona would begin his journey by taking charge of his national team for the first time in a 1-0 friendly win against Scotland at Hampden.

Maradona said: “I am really happy to start my career as Argentina’s manager in Scotland.

“The Scottish people love me because of the goals I scored against England.

“I have great memories of Hampden. I played my first game for the national team there.

“We won 3-1 and I scored a goal.

“I have never forgotten it.”

Maradona had his name chanted by the Tartan Army during the 1-0 win for Argentina.

It was a full circle moment for the little magician.

Scotland supporters will never forget Maradona

His reign ended with a 4-0 defeat by Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, followed by a somewhat nomadic managerial career after that.

Maradona managed teams in the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and was in charge of Gimnasia in Argentina at the time of his death in November 2020.

An outpouring of sorrow and tributes flowed from all corners of the world.

Iain Emerson, editor of the Famous Tartan Army magazine, was among those paying tribute and he said: “He was a great man and a legendary sportsman.

“It is tragic that he has passed away at the age of just 60. One thing is for sure – Scotland and the Tartan Army will never, ever forget him.”