The football used by Argentine legend, Diego Maradona, to score his controversial “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup is expected to sell for about $10m at an auction in the United States this month.
the ball, which became part of football history after Maradona illegally punched it into the net during Argentina’s quarter-final clash with England, will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions in Texas.
The auction house expects the historic football to attract a bid of eight figures, with bidding set to open at $2.5m.
The auction is scheduled to take place from August 21 to 23.
Maradona’s first goal in the match remains one of the most controversial moments in World Cup history.
The Argentine forward appeared to use his hand to beat England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to the ball before sending it into the net.
However, the referee failed to spot the handball and allowed the goal to stand.
After the match, Maradona famously described the goal by saying it was scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
Argentina went on to defeat England 2-1 before eventually winning the World Cup in Mexico.
The proposed sale of the football comes after another Maradona item set a record in the football memorabilia market.
The jersey worn by the Argentine during the same Argentina-England quarter-final currently holds the record for the most expensive football shirt ever sold. It was sold for $9.3m.
Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, died in November 2020 at the age of 60.
His achievements with Argentina and Napoli, as well as his controversial moments on the pitch, have continued to make his memorabilia highly valuable among collectors.
The historic rivalry between Argentina and England has remained intense, both on and off the football pitch.
The two countries met again in a semi-final at this year’s World Cup, with Argentina emerging victorious before eventually losing the final.
Beyond football, Argentina and the United Kingdom have also been involved in a long-running political dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina.
The 1986 World Cup meeting between the two countries therefore carried additional political and emotional significance, coming just four years after the Falklands War.
The “Hand of God” ball has since become one of the most recognisable pieces of football history, and its upcoming auction is expected to attract collectors and football fans from around the world.
