Regularly targeted by Maradona when he was at the head of Fifa, Sepp Blatter recognizes on Europe 1 that the relationship between the two men was not always very good.

But he says he keeps good memories of their relationship.

"The moments I spent with him, I will not forget them," he says. 

INTERVIEW

Between the two men, relations have always been tumultuous and marked by numerous attacks by Maradona.

However, on Wednesday, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, like everyone on the football planet, paid tribute to the Argentine legend, who died at the age of 60, by hailing "one of the very best players. of football of our time ".

And Thursday, at the microphone of Europe 1, the former strongman of world football returned to his conflicted relationship with the "Pibe de Oro", but assures: "The moments that I spent with him, I will not forget them not."

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In recent years, the winner of the 1986 World Cup had indeed increased attacks against Blatter, whose governance he regularly denounced at the head of Fifa.

In 2016, he was thus photographed wearing a T-shirt illustrated with a portrait mixing Blatter and Michel Platini surmounted by the inscription "Two thieves" (Two thieves).

The Argentine was referring to the corruption case at the International Federation in which the two men were involved.

In 2015, he estimated that Sepp Blatter had "taught Platini to fly".

The same year, he described the Swiss as a "dictator for life" at the head of Fifa. 

"An endearing personality"

In response, Sepp Blatter had often referred to a double talk from the former player and highlighted the cordiality of their reports during their meetings.

And on Europe 1, he describes "an endearing personality", and recalls having tried to make a place for him at his side at Fifa.

"When I was president, I tried to take him a little from Fifa, to see with him if he could work a little for us (...) I gave him a job to do in the program of development. And at first he was very excited to work with us. "

Unfortunately, he says, describing a man "inconsistent in character", Maradona "didn't go the distance."

Sometimes, he explains, "he would work two or three days and then disappear".

And to regret: "He did not hold, neither in the distance, nor in time." 

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"You can't be loved by everyone"

But Sepp Blatter does not deny that he was regularly targeted by Maradona.

"It wasn't always very good," he admits, while adding: "It's a little bit of nothing at all. You can't be loved by everyone."

"The moments I spent with him, I will not forget them," continues Sepp Blatter, who dismisses the sometimes outrageous words used by Maradona.

"I don't take it seriously," he says.