Javier Mascherano to Captain Argentina: Diego Maradona's Inaugural Mistake?

When Diego Maradona announced his choice for captain of Argentina today I must admit I was more than a little skeptical. Although Javier Mascherano is, in my opinion, the best defensive midfielder in the world, I do not think he is anymore capable of captaining Argentina than George Bush is at winning a freestyle rap battle, or being president of the United States, for that matter. Maradona has long been a fervent admirer of Mascherano, at one time even referring to Argentina as a team of "Mascherano and 10 others," so it came as no big surprise when El Diego offered him the captain's armband. I was, however, taken aback when Mascherano refused to take up the role at first, saying that, "I just don’t feel that I’m right for it. A leader is someone that everyone listens to and that doesn’t happen to me because I don’t talk so much in the dressing room." What bothers me so much about Mascherano's refusal is that he knows himself better than anyone else could possibly ... (link)