Cavallero fired up by Falklands memories

Revenge for Agentina’s defeat in the Falklands War is all the motivation goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero needs in Friday’s World Cup clash with England.

Cavallero was only eight years old in 1982 when Argentina and Britain fought a brief but bloody war over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

But the memory is etched deep in the Argentine psyche.

‘‘Maybe you shouldn’t mix things like football and the war, but it’s really hard not to do it,’’ he admitted today.

‘‘It is the match ( against England) that any Argentine wants to play, especially if you lost friends or family in 1982.’’

Cavallero, who plays for Celta Vigo in the Spanish Primera Liga, said Argentines cherish the memory of their 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory over England at the Mexico finals in 1986.

The incomparable Diego Maradona scored both Argentine goals.

For the first, he outjumped England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and deflected the ball into the net with his hand, boasting that it was the ‘‘Hand of God’’.

But his second after a scything run through the England defence was a work of pure genius - and recently voted the best ever World Cup goal.

‘‘We enjoyed the victory in Mexico, with both Maradona’s goals. I guess there was born a myth, and a derby between these two teams,’’ added Cavallero, who made his World Cup debut in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Nigeria.

That performance was good enough for him to be retained for the England game.

Meanwhile, Cavellero’s Argentina team-mate, Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, has told the Italian news agency Ansa that he has nothing to prove against the English.

‘‘Of course for me this match is like a derby, but I am only thinking of the good of Argentina, I don’t want revenge,’’ said the 27-year-old, who came under sustained criticism during the Old Trafford side’s failed title defence.

‘‘We have the philosophy of thinking only match by match and it is now time to think of England, even if we know clearly our final aim.

‘‘The positive note against Nigeria is that we have not allowed anxiety to take control when we were 0-0 and we do not have the pressure of being favourites.

‘‘In Argentina there are many good players, the problem is that football is played by 11 men per team and (coach Marcelo) Bielsa is forced to make choices.’’