Tokyo ? Diego Maradona railed against Japan, lashed out at soccer’s governing body, FIFA, and dismissed the World Cup final as “mediocre” as he defiantly answered questions on Monday.

Five years into retirement, the controversial soccer great who led Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986 is a bit plumper and moves with less grace than he did in his playing days. Yet he struck hard from behind the microphone.

Maradona

Maradona, 41, said he did not deserve to be banned entry to the World Cup by the Japanese government, which initially refused to grant him a visa because of his past drug offenses before reversing its decision, yet attended Sunday’s final as a special guest of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Afterward, he accused the organization with which he has had frequent disputes of shunning him.

“FIFA officials say I’m part of the family. But I didn’t get my invitation to the World Cup until the last day,” Maradona said.

Maradona called Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Germany a “mediocre” match and described the German team as that country’s worst in recent memory, but he also said Brazilian striker Rivaldo and left winger Roberto Carlos were the tournament’s best players.

In his 20-year career, Maradona won Italian and Argentine league titles in addition to the World Cup title, and also led Argentina to second place in the 1990 World Cup. In 2000, FIFA chose Maradona as the game’s best ever, alongside Brazilian Pele.

When questioned about his well-documented rivalry off the field with Pele, three-time World Cup champion, Maradona did not hold much back, claiming he, not Pele, should be remembered as the best player ever.

“The great things people say about me I can never give to him,” Maradona said.

He also criticized the United States for its sanctions against Cuba, where he moved two years ago to undergo treatment for cocaine addiction. Maradona denounced the 41-year-old trade restrictions as “terrorism.”