I thought I had to leave Newcastle United - but Diego Maradona convinced me to stay
Jonas Gutierrez represented Argentina at the 2010 World Cup despite playing in the Championship for Newcastle United in the season building up to it.
Newcastle United cult hero Jonas Gutierrez has reflected on his World Cup experience with Argentina back in 2010.
Three of Gutierrez’s 21 caps for Argentina came at the World Cup in South Africa as his country reached the quarter-finals.
It was the only World Cup to feature Argentina icons Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona in the same tournament, with the latter taking charge as manager.
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Gutierrez: Maradona made me stay at NUFC
Gutierrez was unique in the fact he was playing for one of the tournament favourites on the back of playing in the second tier for Newcastle during the 2009/10 season.
The Magpies had been relegated from the Premier League the previous season, which had Gutierrez fearing for his World Cup chances.
"I think it was good for us to go down,” he told Nuestra Premier. “Because from there a lot of things could be adjusted. There were players who didn't want to play in the second division and they left. That's where you see the real commitment.”
But it was the inspirational words of Maradona that convinced the winger to stay on Tyneside.
"The one who made me stay at Newcastle was Diego,” Gutierrez admitted. “We were one year away from the World Cup."
"When I spoke to Diego, I didn't want to leave the club. The people loved me a lot. I talked to Diego, he knew that we had been relegated. He told me, ‘Jonás, I don't care where you play, just that you play.’
“So, Diego gave me that peace of mind. Otherwise, I would have had to find a way out of a place where I didn't want to leave, but I was there [in the Championship] for a World Cup year. I went into it knowing I was highly regarded by Diego.”
World Cup is the pinnacle
The 2026 World Cup is now underway with Argentina heading into the tournament as holders.
Reflecting on playing at the World Cup himself, Gutierrez added: “When you get there, it's the maximum a player can aspire to at football level. Especially when it's your first World Cup, you feel a little more nervous, but also anxious.
"Imagine what it meant for all of us, for the country, that Diego was on the bench in a World Cup with Messi on the pitch.
"I didn't know Diego personally before he arrived as coach of the national team. We had a very good chemistry."
"He adopted me as one of his favourite players. He told me that he felt I defended the shirt like him."
"He always had very nice words for me. He told me he considered me important for the group."
"When I was injured, he spoke to the Newcastle coach to free me because he wanted me to be with the squad. That's how an incredible connection was made."
"I will always be grateful to him. Unfortunately, we don't have him with us anymore. He was a person with an incredible aura."