Argentina: The football used by Diego Maradona to score his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup has sold for £2.5 million ($3.3 million) at auction in the United States.
Maradona controversially used his hand to send the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton during Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory in Mexico. After the match, the Argentine legend famously described the goal as being scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
The same match also produced one of football’s most celebrated moments. Just minutes after his controversial opener, Maradona scored what became known as the ‘Goal of the Century,’ embarking on a remarkable run past five England players before beating Shilton.
The Adidas Azteca ball was sold by Heritage Auctions for $3.3 million, although it had been expected to attract bids closer to $10 million (£7.3 million).
Mike Provenzale, a specialist auctioneer at Heritage, described the ball as an exceptionally rare piece of football history and said its significance was difficult to match.
The ball was collected at the end of the match by Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee who officiated the quarter-final. Nasser kept the Adidas Azteca for more than 30 years before selling it in 2022 for $2.37 million (£1.74 million).
Bin Nasser later signed a letter in 2023 confirming that the ball was the only one used during the historic match. Its authenticity has since been supported by further independent verification.
The football was offered at auction again in 2023, but the sale failed to go through after bids did not reach the minimum value established for the item.
The latest sale adds another chapter to the remarkable auction history surrounding Maradona’s 1986 World Cup performance. The shirt worn by the Argentine star during the same Argentina-England match sold for £7.1 million at auction in 2022.
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