Barney Ronay shares World Cup memories involving Diego Maradona

The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 11, 2026, 10:48 AM

Last updated Jun 11, 2026

Barney Ronay shares World Cup memories involving Diego Maradona

Summary

Barney Ronay, chief sports writer for The Guardian, reflects on his experience meeting Diego Maradona during Argentina's first group game in the 2018 World Cup. In a video diary, Ronay humorously describes the unusual choice to smell Maradona as a memorable encounter. The footage is part of a series highlighting various adventures from the tournament. Follow @guardiansport on TikTok for more updates from Ronay's World Cup experiences.

Source Links

The Guardian Sport

Key Details

•Barney Ronay recalls his meeting with Diego Maradona at the 2018 World Cup.
•The reflection is featured in Ronay's World Cup video diary.
•Ronay humorously describes the choice to smell Maradona.
•The video is part of a series shared on TikTok.
•The encounter took place during Argentina's first group match.

Latest Updates

10:48 AMThe Guardian Sport — How We Watched the World Cup: Smelling Maradona – video

What they're saying

"
If you had the chance to meet Diego Maradona, what would you do? Smell him? That’s what our chief sports writer, Barney Ronay, did at the 2018 World Cup during Argentina’s first group game of the competition. To keep up with more of Barney’s adventures in his World Cup video diary, follow @guardiansport on TikTok. Continue reading...
— The Guardian Sportby Barney Ronay, Elena Cresci and Nikhita Chulani

Related Teams & Leagues

Soccer