Argentina have the world’s best player and are in top form, says Ramon Diaz

The tale of Ramon Diaz started at the easternmost corner of Asia, when as a 20-year-old he lined up alongside Diego Maradona in the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship. The devastating duo ran riot in Japan, cruising Argentina to the title, with Diaz picking up the top scorer award with eight goals and young Maradona being named the tournament’s best player.A decade and a half later he was back in Japan, spending the last two chapters of his playing career at Kashima Antlers, but little did he know, the forward-turned-manager would go on to become a fan favourite at Asia’s most successful club side, all the way on the western tip of the continent, in Saudi Arabia. In between, Diaz established himself for River Plate and Argentina, partnering Maradona once more at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain. Despite Diaz’s goal against Brazil, the Albiceleste found themselves second best to one of the most entertaining sides of all time, and they fell short against eventual winners Italy, two sides Diaz expresses his admiration for even 40 years later."It was an incredible feeling to be called up to Spain 1982, especially as I was still a young player at the time,” Diaz told FIFA+. "The pressure of playing in the World Cup and representing your country is massive."It was very difficult, but I was able to play well and score despite my young age. It was all about the teamwork and that is what can take you far. After 1982 and because of my performances in the competition, I got the opportunity to play in Europe and it was an incredible journey for me."Brazil and Italy were two great sides who have both played extremely well in 1982 despite the contrasting styles between the two. Brazil had some of the most technically gifted players, they had the aesthetics of playing, and they delivered beautiful football in every game."Italy, on the other hand were tactically disciplined and organised and had an unrivalled mental strength. In the end, Italy were triumphant but both teams remain among the best in football history.”Spain 1982 is now a distant memory, but it is now all about winning titles in the Saudi capital Riyadh, another place where, just like Buenos Aires, Diaz has become a household name."Al Hilal differ from other clubs in the country in that the level of work at this club is extremely high – it is a club that is always pursuing success and more trophies,” Diaz said, singing the praises of the four-time continental champions with whom he is spending a second spell as a manager.His 22 months in charge of the club from Riyadh so far produced two – he argues three – league titles, as well as a King’s Cup triumph, cementing his status as one of the most prolific managers in the club’s history."I won the league twice, but also I left the club five weeks before the end of a title-winning season in 2017/18 and we were four points clear at the top, so that counts too,” he said light-heartedly.It was an early AFC Champions League exit that wrote the end of Diaz’s first chapter with Al Hilal, but the love story was resumed on Valentine’s Day this year when the Argentinian was called-up again for a delicate rescue operation with Al Hilal finding themselves 11 points adrift of league leaders Ittihad just after the halfway point of the season."I enjoy a very good relationship with Al Hilal,” he said. "I know most of the players from my first period here, they understand my philosophy and I know their abilities. The relationship with the players, the board and everyone is excellent.Quick results were needed, and Diaz picked-up right where he left off, setting out to achieve mission impossible. Come June, Al Hilal went into the final matchday of the week level on points with their arch-rivals Ittihad, but in front on their head-to-head record. A sixth win on the trot completed an incredible comeback for Diaz’s side."The very first change was the formation of play,” he explained. "With an understanding of the players’ characteristics, we opted for 4-3-3, then we worked on addressing mistakes, especially in the final third."Al Hilal are a big team who were coming back into the domestic league after winning the AFC Champions League, so we needed to work on the psychological aspect to keep the players motivated to fight until the last moment. With the effort and capabilities of the players, they were able to turn it around and win the title.With his in-depth knowledge of the game in Saudi Arabia, Diaz is buzzing about the prospect of his native Argentina facing his adopted homeland at Qatar 2022, and has offered his take on the Albiceleste and the Green Falcons."I’m Argentinian, of course!,” he joked, making clear where his allegiances lie in the Group C opener. "But I have great appreciation for Saudi Arabia, especially as most of the players are from my club Al Hilal."The Saudi players have high qualities and will make things complicated for Argentina, but Argentina have the best player in the world [in Lionel Messi]. I told [my players] I will be there to watch the game. It will be an interesting match for sure!”For Argentina, the Saudi Arabia encounter marks the first obstacle in their quest to bring home a title that was last won in Mexico 1986 – a tournament Diaz was harshly left out of by then coach Carlos Bilardo despite enjoying his best scoring campaign in Serie A with Avellino in 1985/86.Despite the disappointment, Diaz acknowledges the manager and the tournament’s undisputed star Maradona."Naturally, as a professional player who worked hard the whole season and played very well, you want to be rewarded with a call-up to the national team for the World Cup, but the coach at the time did not see me as a good fit for his tactics, and maybe he was right,” he said. "At the end of the day, they did manage to win the World Cup and the whole team played well."I played alongside Maradona many times. He was a player with incredible ability and a very high quality of play that always positively impacted his team-mates. As Argentinians, we are proud that Argentinian football produced a player like Maradona and of course, he is a historic player.”It is another legendary left-footer that will carry the hopes of the nation at Qatar 2022, and Diaz believes it might finally be time for glory under head coach Lionel Scaloni and Messi."Argentina are now in top form, we have the best player in the world, Messi, in his most mature version as well as several talented players who came in to replace veterans who are no longer with the team,” he said. "As Argentinians, we are very optimistic that we can go all the way to the final and win the World Cup. It would be a natural extension of us winning the Copa America."Scaloni is doing a good job with the team, he managed to assemble a good and competitive group of players and create harmony within the squad. Argentina has a lot of talent, and Scaloni needs no advice from me. He is on the right track and as Argentinians, we have to back him and support the team as they are in their best form at the moment.”