&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball expected to fetch $10 million at US auction")
The football used by Diego Maradona to score the most controversial goal in the game’s history, called the ‘Hand of God’ during Argentina’s 1986 World Cup fixture against England, is up for auction in the US later this month and is expected to fetch a whopping $10 million. Maradona, who eventually lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy in that edition, punched the ball past the English goalkeeper in that quarterfinal match, helping Argentina win 2-1. After the match, Maradona said his goal was scored ‘a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.’
The Texas-based Heritage Auctions expects the ball to be sold for eight figures when it goes under the hammer from August 21 to 23, with a $2.5 million opening bid.
"I think it's easily the most historic ball in the realm of soccer," Dan Imler, vice president of sports at Heritage Auctions, said in a statement to AFP.
He further revealed that it is the same ball that Maradona used to score the so-called "Goal of the Century", in which he dribbled past several English defenders before finishing past the goalkeeper.
"Both of the goals scored are just so iconic, so memorable," Imler said.
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Also, the jersey Maradona wore in that match against England at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico currently holds the record for the most expensive soccer shirt ($9.3 million).
Love-Hate Relationship 40 Years On
40 years since that game, Argentina, the 2022 FIFA World Cup holders, faced off against England in the second semifinal of the concluded edition at the same venue last month. Argentine captain Lionel Messi, dubbed by many the greatest footballer of all time, contributed twice during that tense encounter, with the South American side coming from behind to beat England 2-1.
Ironically, the scoreline is similar to that of their famous face-off in the 1986 edition. However, unlike that time, when Argentina won the World Cup, Messi’s team failed to defend its crown as Spain beat them 1-0 to lift their second World Cup title.
