Maradona blasts Pele for 'Beethoven' comment

Dubai: Diego Maradona kept up his attack on fellow World Cup winner Pele on Thursday by mocking the Brazilian legend’s suggestion that he was the Beethoven of football. “Beethoven! Never have I heard Beethoven on the pitch. The truth is they must have changed his medication,” Maradona was quoted on the Al-Wasl website, the Emirati club which he coaches. [caption id=“attachment_1357339” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Maradona believes he was better than Pele. Getty Images[/caption] Pele had told the official FIFA website: “I was born for football, like Beethoven was born for music or Michelangelo was for painting.” But Maradona hit back. “In that case, I am Ron Wood, Keith Richards and Bono rolled into one because I am the embodiment of passion in football.” Maradona also shrugged off comparisons with Argentine compatriot Lionel Messi who this week scored a record-setting 234th goal for Barcelona. “It’s not for me to say who is the best or the worst. I have always said a thousand times to leave Messi in peace,” said Maradona. “Above everything else, the good thing when we talk about Messi and me is that there is a coloured man at FIFA who isn’t happy that we are being discussed,” he added in another barb at Pele. AFP