- The football used by Diego Maradona for his famous “Hand of God” goal has sold for £2.5 million at auction
- The ball was used during Argentina’s 2-1 win over England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final
- Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser had kept the historic ball for more than three decades
The football used by Diego Maradona to score his controversial “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 World Cup has been sold for £2.5 million at auction.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Adidas Azteca ball fetched $3.3 million at Heritage Auctions in the United States, although it fell well short of the estimated £7.3 million ($10 million) valuation.
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Maradona used his hand to guide 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 partly by his head and partly by the “Hand of God.”
The same game also produced another iconic moment, when Maradona dribbled past five England players before beating Shilton to score what was later dubbed the “Goal of the Century.”
The match ball had been kept by Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the historic encounter. Bin Nasser took possession of the ball after the final whistle and preserved it for more than 30 years.
In 2023, the former referee signed a statement confirming that the Adidas Azteca was the ball used throughout the match. Independent experts subsequently provided additional authentication.
Heritage Auctions specialist Mike Provenzale had described the item as a unique piece of football history, saying it was arguably one of the most important football artefacts in existence.
Bin Nasser initially sold the ball in 2022 for $2.37 million (£1.74 million). It was offered again at auction the following year, but the sale failed after bidding did not reach the reserve price.
The latest auction has once again highlighted the enormous value attached to memorabilia from Maradona’s illustrious career.
Another item from the same Argentina-England match, the shirt worn by Maradona, was sold for £7.1 million at auction in 2022.
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