Diego Maradona looked crestfallen as the fourth German goal was thumped past Sergio Romero. What went wrong? On paper Argentina looked like one of the favourites to win the World Cup and yet on the field they were left bereft of ideas and most of all, no spaces to play. Germany controlled the game through a strategy of insistent ball possession in mid-field and in the end Argentina didn't have a single player there who could play hard-ball to break the pattern and put the Germans off-balance. Oddly Maradona had left two of the toughest mid-fielders in the world, Javier Zanetti and Estaban Cambiasso in Italy to their respective summer holiday plans.

The contrast between the methodical approach taken by by the German coach, Joachim Loew, towards football and the instinctive improvising of Maradona was almost unbearable to compare. It was as if a brilliant soloist was suddenly asked to conduct the whole orchestra.

But in essence, all this was by the by. We all fell in love once again with his charisma but above all, we were all glad that this passionate human being had resussitated his sense of self and his role. Argentina above all wanted to give their beloved hero a lifeline. He revelled in the role creating a dynamic side-show to which up till the German match was a convincing display of authoritative football.

The things he was saying to the press about his strategy too made sense. He wasn't into taking the game too seriously. He knew he had brilliant players and all he seemed to have to do was encourage them. As a naturally gifted player, almost a magician, he was used to winning games all by himself. He thought Lionel Messi would do the same but something about life in Barcelona must be getting to him. He was off colour and out of form. In this sense Messi cannot compare with his predecessor. When nothing was happening, Maradona would create a flash in the pan moment out of the blue to keep Argentina in the game. He won back to back championships for Napoli in the Italian Seria A, pretty much off his own boot. Coaching however is surely different. It is about being inspiring but it is mostly about tactics and managing form.

In life this is what the great man seems to lack: an understanding of how things work and so how to turn his mercurial presence into something worthwhile for the game, in the vein of Franz Beckenbauer and Pelé. Perhaps like many people who are naturally good at something, he doesn't quite grasp the fullness of that special something. Its essential form evades his perception, unlike someone who has had to study it in order to improve.

All the love his fans pour on him, alas, cannot help much more. Now he alone carries the weight of his own reputation and conscience. We can only offer our goodwill. He needed to win this World Cup such that fate would have taken care of his future as it has in the past. His job is harder now. I suggest that instead of giving up he should go back to the text books and study more intently the object of his great love: football. Painful though it may be he should watch again how technical discipline and canny teamwork thrashed a team studded with stars and stole his dream - for now.