Diego Maradona has said sorry to the Italian-born son he publicly dismissed as a mistake.
''When I said those things in Argentina I didn't mean to offend anyone. If my words were taken as offensive it wasn't what I wanted,'' the Napoli and Argentina legend said in a letter read out in court here.
Maradona, who spent the best years of his career in Naples, claimed his 2005 remarks on Argentine TV had been ''misinterpreted''.
The letter was read after Maradona settled a legal wrangle with his 22-year-old son, who is known as Diego Jr.
He agreed to meet his son's demands, releasing years of unpaid child support and paying a further, undisclosed sum to meet the young man's needs until he turns 25.
''It's a way of showing him my affection and giving him something he can start putting in the bank right away,'' Maradona's statement concluded.
The younger Maradona said he was glad the court case was over but could not yet forgive his father.
''Of course I'm happy, I'd given up hope. But it's only something you'd expect from a person who has finally realised he made a mistake''.
''It doesn't mean I've forgiven him,'' he added, dismissing the suggestion that he would be getting on the first plane to Buenos Aires.
''No way. If he wants to meet me he's the one who has to come. I'm not going anywhere''.
Diego Jr is the product of an extramarital fling with Neapolitan woman Cristiana Sinagra during Maradona's triumphant 1984-1991 term at Napoli. The star fought a string of paternity suits to avoid recognising the kid but was eventually foiled by DNA evidence in 1993.
Last year, as the fresh legal battle reached its height, Diego Jr suggested his father was mentally ill because of years of drug abuse.
The younger Maradona, once a promising football player, sued his father for defamation, psychological damages and failure to keep up with agreed payments after the soccer myth's frank outburst on his hit TV show.
''Accepting (him) is not the same as recognising (him), and I'm paying for my mistakes,'' Maradona said during an emotional tribute to his wife and two daughters during the show he fronted for two years.
The star, who had life-threatening drug and weight woes after retiring from soccer, was forced to halt his TV appearances earlier this year to have treatment for a renewed drinking problem.
During a triumphant return to Naples in 2004, Maradona refused to watch his son play for a junior league side that was at the centre of a reality show on Italian television.
Thanks largely to his great name, Diego Jr was initially the focus of high hopes and was reportedly on the verge of a call-up to Italy's Under-17 team.
The boy is 1.66 metres tall and 66 kg, with curly black hair and a physique that reminds many of the father.
Maradona scored 115 goals in 259 appearances during his seven-year stretch at Napoli, leading the team to its only two Italian league titles, in 1987 and 1990, as well as an Italian Cup and a UEFA Cup win.
In 1986 he powered Argentina to a World Cup triumph against West Germany after beating England with the infamous 'Hand of God' goal and a mazy dribble and stab that has been voted the best goal of all time.
Maradona was a god-like figure for the Naples masses, who were finally able to celebrate triumphs rivalling the great northern Italian teams.
Shrines to 'San Diego' popped up all around the city and Diego became the most popular name for newborn males.
