Former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon defender Victor Ndip Akem has revealed he threatened to kill late Argentina football legend many years before his death.
The retired defender made the revelation in a recent interview, stating his life threatening words directed towards Maradona during their first meeting in the opening game of the 1990 FIFA World Cup made life easier for himself and his defensive colleagues on duty that night at the San Siro.
“I said to him… You are a professional player, I am an amateur player, I don’t have anything to lose. If you cross our line here, I will kill you. That’s how we had some space in defence,” Ndip revealed during a recent interview.
Maradona kept his distance and survived the Ndip scare that day but went on to have a great tournament.
Cameroon produced the shock of that World Cup tournament during that game, defeating the holders by 1-0, courtesy of a headed goal from François Omam-Biyik.
Andre-Kana Biyik and late Massing Benjamin were sent off in that game, following varied brutal challenges on different Argentine players including Maradona.
Cameroon went on to become the first African nation to reach the quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup while Argentina were finalists but lost to West Germany.
Argentina’s Diego Maradona (C) fights for the ball against Cameroon’s Victor Ndip Akem (L) and Benjamin Massing (R) during the 1990 World cup football match between Argentina and Cameroon on June 8, 1990 in Milan. (Photo by Daniel GARCIA / AFP)
Maradona passed on in 2020 after a protracted illness and Ndip joined the rest of the football community in mourning the great man.
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