Football History Up For Grabs: Maradona’s ‘Hand Of God’ Ball Sold For £2.5m

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

The Adidas Azteca ball fetched $3.3 million at Heritage Auctions on Saturday, although the final price was significantly below the $10 million, or £7.3 million, valuation that had been projected by experts.

The ball was used during Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 quarter-final victory over England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a match widely regarded as one of the most iconic games in World Cup history.

Maradona scored both of Argentina’s goals, but his first remains one of football’s most controversial moments. The Argentine captain used his hand to punch the ball over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, but the referee failed to detect the offence and allowed the goal to stand.

After the match, Maradona famously described the goal as being scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”

Only minutes later, Maradona produced another historic moment, this time without controversy. Starting from inside his own half, he dribbled past five England players, rounded Shilton and found the net. The stunning effort was later dubbed the “Goal of the Century.”

The match ball remained with Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the quarter-final, for more than 30 years after he took possession of it at the final whistle.

Bin Nasser eventually sold the ball in 2022 for $2.37 million (£1.74 million). It was offered at auction again the following year, but the sale collapsed after prospective buyers failed to meet the reserve price.

Ahead of Saturday’s auction, Heritage Auctions specialist Mike Provenzale described the ball as a one-of-a-kind piece of football history.

In 2023, Bin Nasser signed a letter confirming that the Adidas Azteca was the only ball used during the match. The claim was later backed by independent authentication.

The latest sale comes four years after another iconic item from the same encounter broke an auction record. Maradona’s Argentina shirt worn during the quarter-final against England sold for £7.1 million in 2022.