Soccer:Soccer: Argentina coach Diego Maradona took a swipe at his critics and thanked his players after guiding his country to next year's World Cup finals with a 1-0 win over Uruguay last night.

Huracan midfielder Mario Bolatti, winning just his third cap, fired home with six minutes remaining in Montevideo after the home defence failed to deal with Juan Sebastian Veron’s drilled effort from a free-kick.

Maradona has come in for fierce criticism for his disjointed handling of Argentina’s qualification campaign, which has seen him field over 70 players, but last night’s win secured fourth place in the South American qualifying zone and the final automatic berth for South Africa.

And the 48-year-old was quick to praise his players for their efforts.

“I would like to thank the team for giving me the privilege to lead Argentina to World Cup,” he said. “Thank you to the Argentinian people who had faith.

“Thanks to the players who managed to stand firm and take this group forward.

“I have a good memory and now I am going to remember more than ever. This is for those who did not believe in the national team and treated me like dirt - they will now have to accept this.

“I want to thank the players and fans - no-one but them.”

Maradona also hit back at reports of a rift between himself and team manager Carlos Bilardo.

“They (the press) invented that I was fighting with Bilardo. They gave wrong information. If you want to exchange information, to give it before you know the facts, the problem is yours.”

-PA