Ball from Argentina great Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' match expected to fetch big price at auction

A World Cup-related auction will take place in London on Wednesday (November 16) where items on sale include the ball DiegoMaradonascored his 'Hand of God' goal with against England in the 1986 tournament. The football that was at the feet - and hand - ofMaradonaas he shocked the world with acts of both brazen gamesmanship and breathtaking skill in Mexico 36 years ago has been put up for auction and is expected to sell for at least 2.5 million pounds ($2.8 million).

The ball in question is from the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England, in whichMaradonascored six minutes into the second half by sneakily punching the ball over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton into the net, a goal he said afterward had been helped by the "Hand of God".

Just four minutes later he dribbled from his own half past a number of England players to score a sublime second that regularly tops polls as the greatest goal in World Cup history. The ball is being sold by Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the match. The auction will be conducted by auctioneers Graham Budd.

''It's a really historic ball from one of the most famous World Cup matches in history and we're expecting it to fetch between 2.5 and 3 million pounds,'' Budd said. Speaking about the match, former England soccer player Terry Butcher, who played in the game said, ''To lose under the circumstances we lost was very depressing and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and still does.'

''There will never be another ball like it in football. It's probably the most famous football in football history,'' Butcher said. The shirt worn byMaradonain the same match was sold for 7.14 million pounds earlier this year. Maradona, regarded as one of the world's best ever soccer players, died in November, 2020 aged 60.