But when the second landed on Tuesday, it was time to make his point.

Holding his hands a metre apart, like a fisherman showing the one that got away, he asked how the English could keep lecturing him about his World Cup punch - when they celebrated a goal in the 1966 final that was the wrong side of the line.

'By this much,' he said.

The point was less to do with 1966, or even 1986, than what he regards as the sanctimonious lecturing from Englishmen about his moment of deception in Mexico City.

Did an English footballer never do anything sneaky? Did Michael Owen never throw himself to the ground in the penalty area? Did Paul Scholes not punch a goal against Poland? (He did, quite blatantly, in March 1999 without anyone in England agonising over the morality.)

Maradona chose to cite Geoff Hurst's second goal against Germany in 1966, the legitimacy of which is still being debated.

But the point was a wider one. Get over it, he was saying, these things happen in football and in life. And not just from South Americans brought up in shanty towns but from respectable English gentlemen, too.

'I would say to the young lady,' Maradona said, showing his manners when pressed on the 'Hand of God' incident by a female reporter, 'that I don't think it is fair that anyone should judge me when stuff like that (the 1966 goal) went on.

'It was this much before the line. They just didn't have action replays in those days.'

His answer drew a belly laugh, but then this was Scotland. Outside Buenos Aires and Naples, he could not have chosen a more hospitable venue for his debut as an international coach.

Scotsmen were queuing up this week to shake his hand, the one that punched the ball past Peter Shilton. They even serenaded him outside Argentina's hotel in the centre of Glasgow on Tuesday.

'You put your left hand in, you put England out,' a gaggle of fans in kilts sang to the tune of the Hokey-Cokey.

A huge card from The Scottish Sun giving 'A big hand to Diego' is gathering signatures, including that of Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister.

The only exception to all this bonhomie is Terry Butcher, the Scotland assistant coach, who was captain of the losing England side in 1986 - and is still smarting.

'It's very hard to forgive and forget in the circumstances,' Butcher told the Press Association, adding that he will not shake Maradona's hand.

Maradona seemed as unperturbed by this revelation as you might expect.

He briefly seemed tempted to ask, 'Terry who?'

He said: 'I don't understand why Butcher has this attitude... I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

'If Butcher doesn't want to shake my hand, I'll still be alive tomorrow.'

It brought a laugh but, mostly, Maradona was out to play it straight.

He is doing his best in trying circumstances.

The difficulties of blending in were highlighted on Tuesday, when Sergio Aguero had to leave the Argentina camp.

The forward, who just happens to be the boyfriend of Maradona's younger daughter Giannina, had to fly to Madrid because of her apparent pregnancy complications. This would be Maradona's first grandchild.

THE TIMES, LONDON

ENGLAND ARE NO SAINTS

'I don't think it is fair that anyone should judge me when stuff like that (the 1966 goal) went on.'

MARADONA, on Butcher's grudge. He turned the tables by citing Hurst's second goal during England's 4-2 World Cup final win over West Germany, which may not have crossed the line

HARD TO FORGIVE AND FORGET

'I think I'm 4-1 to get a red card in the tunnel. It would be the fist of Butcher...'

TERRY BUTCHER, on losing to Maradona's handball goal at the 1986 World Cup. He is now Scotland's assistant coach