Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ ball fetches $3.3m at auction

The match ball used when Diego Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup has been sold for $3.3 million at an auction in the United States.

The Adidas Azteca ball, used during Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over England in Mexico, was sold by Heritage Auctions on Saturday.

Although the ball’s history made it one of the most coveted pieces of football memorabilia, its final price was well below the auction house’s $10 million valuation.

The $3.3 million sale nevertheless puts the ball among the most expensive football artefacts ever sold at auction.

Maradona’s infamous goal

Maradona opened the scoring in the 51st minute of the quarter-final when he used his left hand to send the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

The officials failed to detect the handball and allowed the goal to stand, despite England’s protests.

Asked to explain the controversial goal after the match, Maradona famously said it came “a little from the head of Maradona, and a little from the hand of God.”

The phrase subsequently became synonymous with one of the most controversial moments in World Cup history.

Argentina won the match 2-1 and went on to claim the World Cup, with Maradona playing a central role in their triumph.

Referee held on to the historic ball

Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the quarter-final, took the ball with him after the match and kept it for more than three decades.

Bin Nasser later produced documentation supporting the ball’s connection to the Argentina-England game, while independent authentication was also conducted to verify its history.

The referee first put the ball up for auction in 2022, when it sold for $2.3 million.

It returned to the market a year later but failed to find a buyer after bidding did not reach the required minimum.

The latest auction has now resulted in a successful sale at $3.3 million.

Maradona shirt also broke records

The ball is not the only valuable relic from that famous quarter-final.

The shirt worn by Maradona during Argentina’s victory was sold at auction in 2022 for $9.28 million, setting a record at the time for the most expensive football shirt ever sold.

More than 40 years on, the ball and shirt remain prized pieces of football history, linked to a match that produced two of Maradona’s most memorable goals and helped define his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the game