In the run-up to the World Cup, I wrote — early and often — about the coaching disaster that was Diego Maradona. He somehow had Argentina in peril of not qualifying for the World Cup by dint of bizarre lineups, erratic behavior and bad results against some of South America’s lesser sides.

I became convinced he would keep Argentina from winning the World Cup. And I wrote just that. Several times. Back when I was referring to Diego “El Jefe Loco” Maradona with some regularity. You know, back when he was being suspended for cursing journalists and going to the hospital for stitches after trying to kiss his dog good night.

Then, as you may have noticed, Argentina looked just fine … verging on outstandings … right into the quarterfinals of the World Cup. I was contemplating the taste of crow …

When Germany, and El Jefe Loco’s minuscule coaching abilities, came together on the same soccer field, and Argentina was blasted out of the tournament.

What happened?

Argentina had been winning on sheer talent. And it has, right now, as much soccer talent as any nation on the planet. Yes, more than Brazil. More than Holland. More than … anyone.

And that was enough to roll past Nigeria, South Korea and Greece in group play, and past Chile in the round of 16.

I wondered whether Argentina were Just So Good that not even Maradona could screw it up, barring him tripping one of his own players on a breakaway or driving the team bus into a ditch.

Then along came the Germans, a very competent side that also is … ta-da! … well-coached and well-organized.

And Maradona’s team dissolved like a sugar cube in a rainstorm.

Germany smothered Lionel Messi, was good enough to pressure Argentina’s shaky back line, got an early goal, withstood some disorganized Argentine pressure … and then poured on three goals in the second half to diss (and dismiss) Maradona’s lads by a 4-0 score. Which is like 49-0 in football.

I don’t take pleasure in Maradona conceding, after the match, that the result was like “a kick in the face.”

But I do prefer to be right about topics on which I have ventured a strong opinion.

Where did Maradona go wrong? Close observers of the Argentine side rued the lack of a real right back, Maradona’s dogged insistence on playing with only one defense-oriented midfielder and his naive belief that enough offense could overcome any defensive shortcomings.

All of that probably is true, and well-stated by Richard Jolly in the pages of my newspaper, The National.

What resounded here was what Maradona said he told Messi before the World Cup. Something along the lines of  “no one ever told me how to play; how can I tell Messi how to play?” Which is a quick and easy summation of a manager who was not actually managing anything aside, perhaps, from his wardrobe.

Thus, Diego Maradona entered into the realm of coaches gifted with great talent who might even win a championship … so long as they do not run into a competent opponent with a plan.

Argentina’s misfortune … and something I was certain would happen … was to run into Germany. The epitome of organized.

The Germans also are fearless, well-conditioned and confident that they well last long into the tournament. Indeed. This is their third consecutive trip to the semifinals and sixth in eight attempts, going back to 1986. And in 1994 and 1998, they made the quarterfinals. This is not a side that will just crash out, like England or France.

Germany has a real coach, too, in Joachim Low, and not just a celebrity in a suit. That showed. Low against Maradona was the biggest mismatch on the pitch.

Now that it is over, Argentina probably would not have survived Spain in the semis or, presumably, the Dutch in the final. But that would be far too close to for comfort, in the eyes of this prognosticator.

So, yes, we had it right. Maradona may be a god in Argentina, but he is not a coach. He just took a team of massive talent, especially on the attacking end, and turned it into something ordinary.