The ball with which legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona scored the goal that went down in history as “God's Hand” against England in the 1986 World Cup has been sold at auction for 2.5 million pounds sterling.
Modern.az reports that the ball found a buyer for 3.3 million dollars (2.5 million pounds sterling) at the “Heritage Auctions” auction held in the USA.
It should be recalled that Maradona put the Argentine national team ahead in the 51st minute of the match against England in the 1/4 final of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico by sending the ball into the goal with his hand. The head referee recorded the goal and the Argentines won the match 2:1. After the game, Maradona used the phrase “a little with Maradona's head, a little with God's hand” about the goal. It was after this that the episode became famous in football history as “God's Hand”.
In the same match, Maradona scored another historic goal. He advanced from his own half, passed five English players, and after deceiving goalkeeper Peter Shilton, sent the ball into the net. This goal was later called “Goal of the Century”. The Adidas Azteca ball put up for auction was taken by the Tunisian head referee of that game, Ali Bin Nasser, after the match and kept for more than 30 years.
Bin Nasser confirmed in a letter signed in 2023 that it was the only ball used throughout the match. This information was later confirmed by independent expertise. Interestingly, the ball was expected to sell at auction for close to 10 million dollars (7.3 million pounds sterling). However, it eventually found a buyer for 3.3 million dollars.
Bin Nasser had sold the ball in 2022 for 2.37 million dollars (1.74 million pounds sterling). Although the new owner put the ball up for auction again in 2023, the sale did not take place because the bids did not reach the specified minimum price.
It should be noted that Maradona's jersey worn in that England-Argentina match was sold for 7.1 million pounds sterling at an auction held in 2022.
