CHRIS WADDLE understands why the nation still hates Diego Maradona on the 25th anniversary of the infamous 'Hand of God'.

The Argentine star left England fans fuming when he punched in the opening goal in the World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.

A quarter of a century on, Waddle can still vividly recall the anger in the Three Lions dressing room at the end of the game.

Waddle, now 50, said: "Of course I still think about what happened that day - it's amazing to think it's 25 years ago.

"A lot of England fans I speak to still blame Maradona and still hold a grudge all this time later - and you can see why.

"It's horrible when something like that happens to your team and he became Public Enemy Number One. The goal should never have stood and what made it worse was that it came at 0-0 and at such a crucial moment.

"We'd been more than holding our own in the game up until that point and felt we could go on to win the tournament.

"There was bitterness about it in the dressing room after the game. We were angry, like every Englishman was.

"But Maradona saw an opportunity and took it. It could have been ruled out with video technology - yet here we are all these years on still waiting for it."

Even though they were seething at Maradona's first goal, Waddle admits they could not help but admire the Argentine's sensational second three minutes later.

Waddle was warming up to come on at that stage and said: "It was pure genius. I wanted to applaud it - but I knew I couldn't."

Waddle, who came on as a second-half sub and spearheaded England's comeback effort in a 2-1 defeat, added: "It was a great squad that Bobby Robson had with some top players.

"We felt we could go all the way and we were denied that by a moment of controversy and a moment of genius.

"A lot of England fans will never forgive Maradona for what he did. But if Gary Lineker had done it at the other end, he'd still be hailed as a hero."

ENGLAND: Shilton, Stevens, Fenwick, Butcher, Sansom; Hoddle, Reid (Waddle 64), Steven (Barnes 74), Hodge; Lineker, Beardsley.