Argentina arrive in South Africa for the World Cup

Football legend Maradona - who is bidding to add World Cup glory as coach to the 1986 trophy he won as a player - drew huge crowds wherever he went during a pre-tournament inspection visit to South Africa and is set to be among the most colourful characters at the first African World Cup.

The 49-year-old considered by many critics the greatest footballer the game has seen created headlines this week by demanding a special heated loo seat and promising to run naked through central Buenos Aires if he lifts the Cup.

A 450-dollar heated loo seat with a warm-air blow dryer and front and rear bidet wands was ordered for the room where Maradona will stay. Maradona succeeded Alfio Basile as coach halfway through a faltering Argentine campaign to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

The 49-year-old also battled to find a winning formula and Argentina secured a place in South Africa only in the final round with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in Montevideo. Argentina fell 2-1 away to European champions Spain and triumphed 1-0 away to 2006 World Cup hosts and bronze medalists Germany in high-profile warm-up matches.

But Maradona has yet to convince sections of the media he can take his country to a third title. Criticisms include favouring an overly cautious system that includes only two strikers, usually Messi and Gonzalo Higuain, while leaving Champions League hero Diego Milito, Carlos Tevez and son-in-law Sergio Aguero on the bench, though Maradona did suggest after the mauling of Canada that he could deploy three strikers.

A huge challenge facing Maradona is to coax the best out of Messi, such a scourge to defenders when in the red and blue of Barcelona but too often ineffective when playing for Argentina.

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