Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball heads to US auction with $10 million estimate
The match ball from Argentina’s 1986 World Cup quarter-final victory over England, used for both the infamous handball goal and the ‘Goal of the Century’, will be sold by Heritage Auctions in Texas this month.
The football that Diego Maradona punched past Peter Shilton to score the most contentious goal in World Cup history is to be auctioned in the United States, with the auction house expecting a final price of up to $10 million. The ball, from the 1986 quarter-final at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, will go under the hammer in Texas from 21 to 23 August, with an opening bid set at $2.5 million.
Maradona’s 51st-minute goal, in which he rose to meet a high ball and used his left fist to divert it into the net, was allowed to stand by the referee. After Argentina’s 2-1 win, the forward famously described the strike as having been scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”. Four minutes later, he collected the same ball near the halfway line, dribbled past four English opponents and rounded the goalkeeper to score what was later voted the ‘Goal of the Century’. Argentina went on to win the tournament.
Dan Imler, vice-president of sports at Heritage Auctions, told AFP the ball was “easily the most historic ball in the realm of soccer”, noting that it was used for both of Maradona’s goals in the match. “Both of the goals scored are just so iconic, so memorable,” he said. The auction house expects the final bid to reach eight figures.
The ball’s sale follows the record auction of the jersey Maradona wore in the same match, which fetched $9.3 million in 2022, the highest price ever paid for a football shirt. Maradona died in November 2020 at the age of 60.
| Latin American press | +0.30 | aligned |
|---|---|---|
| Continental European press | +0.10 | neutral |
| Sub-Saharan African press | −0.20 | neutral |
| Arab Levant-Maghreb press | 0.00 | neutral |
The market celebrates a unique relic, setting its price as a symbol of its historical and sporting value.
It transforms a controversial sporting event into a luxury good, emphasizing the economic estimate and rarity of the object, neutralizing the controversy.
It does not mention the role of the Tunisian referee who kept the ball for decades, nor does it delve into the controversy over the sporting fraud.
Continental Europe records the event as a market curiosity, with a measured interest in the record sum.
It adopts a financial news tone, reporting the auction data (starting bid, estimate) without emotional emphasis or moral judgment.
It does not delve into the political symbolism of the 1986 Argentina-England match, nor into Maradona's figure as a national icon.
Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa observes with detachment, but does not fail to recall the illicit nature of the sporting gesture.
It uses the term 'notorious' to frame the goal, balancing the record sum with the memory of the controversy, without explicitly condemning it.
It does not mention the political context of the match (Falklands War) nor the celebration of the 'Goal of the Century' as a positive counterpoint.
The Arab world records the event with balance, recognizing the dual nature of Maradona's gesture: controversial and brilliant.
It presents the news as a matter of fact, balancing the reference to the illegal goal with the mention of the 'Goal of the Century', without taking sides.
It does not delve into the role of the Tunisian referee Ali Bennaceur, who kept the ball, nor does it discuss the geopolitical impact of the match.
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