Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Ball Sells for £2.5m at Auction

The football used by Diego Maradona to score his infamous “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 World Cup has sold for £2.5 million at auction.

The Adidas Azteca ball was sold for $3.3 million at Heritage Auctions in the United States on Saturday, although it had been expected to fetch about $10 million.

Maradona used his hand to punch the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton during Argentina’s 2-1 victory in the quarter-final in Mexico.

The goal became one of the most controversial moments in World Cup history, with Maradona later famously describing it as being scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”.

The Argentine superstar scored again in the same match with a spectacular individual effort that later became known as the “Goal of the Century”.

Maradona collected the ball in midfield before dribbling past five England players and rounding Shilton to complete one of the most celebrated goals in football history.

The ball auctioned on Saturday was collected by Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser after the match. He kept the historic item for more than three decades before eventually putting it up for sale.

Heritage Auctions specialist Mike Provenzale had described the ball as an exceptionally rare piece of football history ahead of the auction.

“It’s a true one-of-one item. Arguably the most significant soccer item that exists,” Provenzale said.

The sale has renewed attention on the extraordinary legacy of the 1986 quarter-final, which remains one of the most discussed matches in World Cup history.

For Argentina, the victory paved the way for a memorable tournament that culminated in Maradona leading the team to the World Cup title.

The “Hand of God” goal, despite its controversy, has remained inseparable from Maradona’s legacy and is now attached to one of the most valuable pieces of football memorabilia ever sold.

The £2.5 million sale underscores the enduring commercial and historical value of memorabilia connected to iconic moments in the sport.