![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P6IHUJFB6W3A23KV4VCOY3NW2I.jpg?smart=true&auth=ab9ba2ddb9bdd08607db0ee69fe014bc45f7f1c16370015e470d881918bddadd&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona kisses his phone when he took a call from his grandson during a press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4LRQ7TAXDV2HNE4JADS2HP37NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=44f38bd52377945552211e45db93acd2a7048b4a25fe1f91b3de59ca5eb5a425&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi with Diego Maradona in his Villa in Dubai. All images courtesy of Tariq Al-Sharabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QQTM4VHRXQV7PSPKJVRR55HTBM.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8de1a0eddf46b16366a7e08ac7e28b389a9f6a7bfbf0bfa1cc5a48db781a9c0&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi with Diego Maradona, Peter Reid, second right, and Trevor Sinclair, right. Courtesy Tariq Al-Sharabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LK4J2XVVRAINH7R5UHARRFSPKY.jpg?smart=true&auth=181946783e2c0ce1860311dd59193f7edb3994a15bb99bdd8d75ff866aa6806e&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi gives his condolences to Maradona after the death of his mother.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/URFAF2ODRAHCQYRY4NUI7FPAUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0d495d170d3c6e6a86446f70fb8dbd9cd55ec7403675188899bd1518b33caab2&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi with Diego Maradona at his unveiling press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5R6EKQRPSHTJZVNQSI62PUPAEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d06cc854289f05d8a9d882a28a71b7e9ac23959a03b33f8be09276c5ef53f86&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona pretends to be asleep during Tariq Al-Sharabi's translation.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FWNT76OAMO3NYC4FIHXWH2R6KU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3783ad78eb0e8f38ffd7ebefc5604bc7a9ebee17cd156023059cd3fc97e4b9f&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi and Diego Maradona at a pre-match press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W55I6WYZOUQR63AOMRRYEHPRSY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca514207f64d0a09ebd5e82b8ff41524f02cc456737bd3d8c56b8f9ad0ab9a27&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi and Diego Maradona at a post-match press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QWMLJFL6JIMVH23YXQONFLHPWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=e87120ee990a81e71649e11f18e9d3c720da40ae09d9a9f27e69aad5e343f3b0&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona pretends to sleep at another press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P6IHUJFB6W3A23KV4VCOY3NW2I.jpg?smart=true&auth=ab9ba2ddb9bdd08607db0ee69fe014bc45f7f1c16370015e470d881918bddadd&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona kisses his phone when he took a call from his grandson during a press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4LRQ7TAXDV2HNE4JADS2HP37NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=44f38bd52377945552211e45db93acd2a7048b4a25fe1f91b3de59ca5eb5a425&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi with Diego Maradona in his Villa in Dubai. All images courtesy of Tariq Al-Sharabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QQTM4VHRXQV7PSPKJVRR55HTBM.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8de1a0eddf46b16366a7e08ac7e28b389a9f6a7bfbf0bfa1cc5a48db781a9c0&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi with Diego Maradona, Peter Reid, second right, and Trevor Sinclair, right. Courtesy Tariq Al-Sharabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LK4J2XVVRAINH7R5UHARRFSPKY.jpg?smart=true&auth=181946783e2c0ce1860311dd59193f7edb3994a15bb99bdd8d75ff866aa6806e&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi gives his condolences to Maradona after the death of his mother.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/URFAF2ODRAHCQYRY4NUI7FPAUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0d495d170d3c6e6a86446f70fb8dbd9cd55ec7403675188899bd1518b33caab2&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi with Diego Maradona at his unveiling press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5R6EKQRPSHTJZVNQSI62PUPAEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d06cc854289f05d8a9d882a28a71b7e9ac23959a03b33f8be09276c5ef53f86&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona pretends to be asleep during Tariq Al-Sharabi's translation.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FWNT76OAMO3NYC4FIHXWH2R6KU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3783ad78eb0e8f38ffd7ebefc5604bc7a9ebee17cd156023059cd3fc97e4b9f&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi and Diego Maradona at a pre-match press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W55I6WYZOUQR63AOMRRYEHPRSY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca514207f64d0a09ebd5e82b8ff41524f02cc456737bd3d8c56b8f9ad0ab9a27&width=400&height=225)
Tariq Al-Sharabi and Diego Maradona at a post-match press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QWMLJFL6JIMVH23YXQONFLHPWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=e87120ee990a81e71649e11f18e9d3c720da40ae09d9a9f27e69aad5e343f3b0&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona pretends to sleep at another press conference.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P6IHUJFB6W3A23KV4VCOY3NW2I.jpg?smart=true&auth=ab9ba2ddb9bdd08607db0ee69fe014bc45f7f1c16370015e470d881918bddadd&width=400&height=225)
Diego Maradona kisses his phone when he took a call from his grandson during a press conference.
'My crazy life as Diego Maradona's translator in the UAE'
Tariq Al-Sharabi’s life was turned upside down when he was asked to translate for the next manager of Al Wasl ... a certain World Cup-winning Argentinian. As told to Paul Radley
![Paul Radley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F4bea718a-3833-459d-b22e-394141107aed.png?smart=true&auth=9b0d25df28459c73830f10d00934933c01a577dee63bf7a45b39f23e0bdb9f75&width=70&height=70)
Paul Radley
28 November, 2020
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic