The football Diego Maradona used to score his controversial “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 World Cup will be auctioned in the United States this month, with the ball expected to sell for around $10 million.
The auction will be held by Texas-based Heritage Auctions from August 21 to 23. Bidding will start at $2.5 million, while the auction house expects the final price to reach eight figures.
Maradona scored twice in Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final win over England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
His first goal came when he appeared to use his hand to push the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
The referee allowed the goal to stand.
After the match, Maradona famously said the goal was scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”.
The same ball was also used for his second goal, which is widely regarded as the “Goal of the Century”.
Maradona collected the ball near his own half, dribbled past several England players and finished the move by beating Shilton.
Dan Imler, vice president of sports at Heritage Auctions, said the ball was one of the most important pieces of football history.
“Both of the goals scored are just so iconic, so memorable,” he said.
The record for the most expensive football shirt belongs to Maradona’s jersey from the same
Argentina-England match.
It sold for $9.3 million.
Maradona, one of football’s greatest players, died in November 2020 at the age of 60.
Argentina and England met again in the semi-final of this year’s World Cup, with Argentina winning before eventually losing in the final.
The two countries have also had a long-running dispute over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
