First Minister Alex Salmond paid tribute to football legend Diego Maradona by signing a giant card yesterday.

The oversized card was offered to the First Minister for signing by Tartan Army fans, a spokesman said.

"The First Minister signed a humorous card, shown to him by members of the Tartan Army, writing Scotland and Argentina forever'," said a spokesman.

"It was done in a spirit of banter and good footballing fun."

It happened at a Glasgow hotel where members of the Argentinian football team were staying and where, by coincidence, Mr Salmond was speaking at an official engagement.

Unconfirmed rumours later circulated that the card had thanked Maradona for his role in beating England in the 1986 World Cup.

However, Salmond aides said they were unaware of this and pointed out: "We have all been on the receiving end of Maradona's goal-scoring talents.

"His first international goal was against Scotland in the late 1970s when he played at Hampden."