AFP

BERLIN, Jul 3: Argentinean legend Diego Maradona refused to enter the stadium for his nation's World Cup quarter-final against Germany after one of his entourage had been banned from accompanying him, FIFA said on Saturday.

FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler said Maradona had been given four tickets for the VIP area for Friday's match at the Berlin Olympic Stadium, but a fifth member of his entourage was not given a ticket because he had behaved aggressively at matches.

"His delegation was told that one person was not getting a ticket because this person had behaved in an unacceptable way, sometimes becoming aggressive," Siegler said.

"If he does not want to accept it, we regret it. We always try to find tickets for Maradona for matches, even when he pops up at the last minute, but on Friday one person with him was not coming in."

Maradona has been a high-profile visitor to World Cup matches and has been doing commentary work for a Spanish TV station.  He has been accompanied at matches by a bodyguard as well as his daughter and ex-wife.

Siegler refused to say if the person who was barred from the matches was the bodyguard.  The Argentinean superstar led his country to the 1986 title but has fought a battle with drugs.