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Maradona announces Mascherano to be captain

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-11 10:38

BUENOS AIRES-- Coach of Argentine national team Diego Maradona said on Monday that the Argentine midfielder of the Liverpool club from England Javier Mascherano will be the captain of the soccer national team.

Liverpool's Javier Mascherano catches a ball during a training session at the club's Melwood training complex in Liverpool, northern England, November 3, 2008. [Agencies]

"I convinced him because it was my decision. For my ear at the National team it need him as captain. Javier can encourage a lot inside the field, we do not ask him to be immediately the leader, his game will give it," Maradona said Monday morning in Europe.

"What I want is someone next to me who has lived limit moment to be able to transmit them to the rest of the players," Maradona said.

Maradona said that "all" the players he met with in Spain, Germany and England "answered him wonderful."

During declaration to local radio La Red, Maradona said that the soccer players "already want to go out to the field, they want the revenge, the know the people needs the national team and they understand the moment, they are ready to give a bit more of what they have given."

Finally Maradona said that for the coming friendly match against Scotland, he did not include players from Estudiantes de La Plata club, because the team will play soon the semifinals of the South American Cup.