BERLIN _ Diego Maradona did not send his RSVP early enough to get a starring role beside Pele and Claudia Schiffer in the World Cup's opening celebrations.

FIFA communications director Markus Siegler said if comments attributed to the Argentine great were accurate, Maradona boycotted last Friday's opening ceremony because of a mix up - not a snub.

"Apparently, Diego Maradona said he would have loved to be among the champions at the opening but he didn't want to enter the stage because he was not happy that the trophy was brought onto the field by Pele and Claudia Schiffer," Siegler said Sunday. "Apparently he said that, not to me."

Maradona was among the 170 former champions invited by FIFA and the German organizing committee to attend the World Cup and the FIFA Congress last week, Siegler said.

"But we did not have up to the last moment a real confirmation that Diego would come or not. We cannot plan parts of the opening ceremony with somebody who we don't know if he's here," Siegler said. "If we'd known, you could imagine we'd have the pleasure of both Pele and Diego bringing in the trophy."

The star of Argentina's 1986 World Cup triumph, Maradona has often criticized soccer's governing body. He was sent home from the 1994 World Cup for failing a doping test.

"It's not that FIFA did not want to have him here. He's always welcome to FIFA," Siegler said. "It would be a great pleasure if next time he would accept an invitation or an offer."

GOOD JOB: Argentina deserved its win 2-1 win over Ivory Coast, despite its play.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said he liked what he saw from Argentina in the first half, when Javier Saviola and Hernan Crespo scored a goal each.

"I've seen it play better, but the important thing for them was to get the win," Parreira said.

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