Argentine former soccer player Diego Maradona said on Tuesday that since long time ago he did not see "a Brazilian (soccer team) so skimpy and defensive," when referring to the semifinals soccer match at the Olympic Games of Beijing.

Argentina won 3-0 against Brazil, Maradona watched the games from a VIP seat in the Workers' Stadium in Beijing and he said that the Argentine team "was superior in the entire field."

Maradona said that "I felt Brazil could harm us and that the boys (Argentine players) would break that barrier at any moment."

"Since long time ago, I didn't see a Brazil so skimpy and defensive. The Sub 23 gave them more skimpiness at the playing time. Nobody gave the ball to Ronaldinho, they didn't have team play. Argentina surpassed them in every meter of the field and the triumph was fair," Maradona said.

Maradona said that "today (Tuesday) Nigeria won very good (4-1 against Belgium), but we must give credit to Argentina."

After the match, Maradona visited the soccer players at the dress room and he got as present the t-shirts of Lionel Messi, Juan Ramon Riquelme and Sergio "Kun" Aguero.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2008)