Was Maradona a football genius or villain?

I REPORTED Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico in the quarter-final of 1986’s World Cup. Sitting in the press box, it wasn’t easy to see if the ball had gone in off his forehead or his fist. His future reputation would have been vastly better if he had said to the referee: ‘Sorry, I punched it in — no goal.’

BRIAN SCOVELL, Bromley, Kent.

MARADONA probably was the greatest player of his generation, but please let us keep some perspective and don’t go overboard with the eulogies. Regrettably, he won the World Cup as a cheat.

RICHARD MORGAN, Basingstoke, Hants.

MARADONA makes today’s players look like three-legged donkeys. He may have been a cheat, but who can come close to him for entertainment value? Not even Messi or Ronaldo.

N. WOODS, Chilton, Co. Durham.

MARADONA’S death at a relatively early age is sad, but not inevitable. A drug taker and alcoholic, he had reported links to the Mafia and prostitutes. He was a proven cheat at football who showed no remorse for what he did at the World Cup. Children deserve a far better role model.

DAVID WRAY, Manchester.

IF MARADONA ever had the grace to admit he had handled the ball into the net, he may have been excused for a momentary act of madness. The ‘Hand of God’ goal leaves his legacy in tatters.

Name supplied, Northwich, Cheshire.

I Hope none of the millions of words written about the death of Maradona will stir any englishman to tears. The celebrated cheat, whose actions on the world stage were an appalling example to the young, was allowed to profit from his moment of infamy because it stopped england’s World Cup hopes.

TERRY HICKMAN, Southampton, Hants.

HOW appropriate Maradona’s middle name was Armando (arm-hand-oh!)

JOHN VARLEY, Doncaster, S. Yorks.