After losing his job as Argentina's football coach, Diego Maradona has accused Argentina Football Association president Julio Grondona of 'lying' and team manager Carlos Bilardo of 'betraying'.

The Argentine FA declined to renew his contract in the wake of the 4-0 World Cup quarterfinal defeat by Germany.

"Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me," Maradona told reporters in his first news conference after his resignation.

"Grondona, in the dressing room after we had been knocked out of the World Cup in South Africa, told me in front of witnesses and the players that he was very happy with my work and that he wanted me to carry on, The Telegraph quoted Mardona, as saying.

"On our return to Argentina, things started to take on a bizarre twist and on Monday I met with Grondona. After five minutes, he told me that he wanted me to continue, but that seven of my technical staff could not stay. When he told me this, he was saying that he didn't want me to carry on in the job," Maradona added.

"He knows that it is impossible for me to stay as coach without my colleagues," he said.

Maradona also hit out at Bilardo: "When we were in mourning, Bilardo was working in the shadows to get me fired. I've given everything, everything." (ANI)