Maradona has been facing a massive backlash on social media as he was spotted flipping off his middle fingers during a live broadcast while celebrating Marcos Rojo’s fortuitous goal in the 86th minute, giving Argentina a 2-1 victory over Nigeria.
READ MORE: Maradona Refutes Reports He Was Taken to Hospital After Argentina-Nigeria Match
The gesture couldn’t go unnoticed by Twitter users, who rushed to accuse Maradona of disrespectful behavior, suggesting that the gesture was meant for the Nigerian fans:
Some stressed that all eyes have been on Maradona’s antics despite Argentina’s big win:
Another user said that he should be banned from stadiums – which would be in line with FIFA’s strict code of conduct, prohibiting racist and offensive language:
A fellow Twitterian made a reference to reports about Maradona’s hospitalization after the game, which the Argentine later denied on his Instagram:
Others, however, didn’t take Maradona’s flipping the bird seriously, describing it as “the best thing” they’ve ever seen…
…and alluding to his iconic “hand of God” goal against England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City:
Meanwhile, some said that the gesture wasn’t racist, but he should be punished for the outburst:
There were those who urged to stop “speculations” that the fingers were for Nigerian fans and offered their explanation:
On Tuesday, Argentina’s national football squad beat Nigeria’s team 2-1 in their final Group D match to advance to the knockout stage, where they will face Group C winners France in Kazan on Saturday.