Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball heads to US auction

The football that Diego Maradona used to score his infamous “Hand of God” goal during Argentina’s win over England in the 1986 World Cup is expected to sell for US$10 million at a US auction this month.

Maradona’s goal in the quarter-final match at the Estadio Azteca saw him punch the ball past the England goalkeeper, with the South Americans ultimately winning 2-1.

After the game, the Argentine star said his goal was scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”. His nation went on to win the World Cup.

Heritage Auctions, based in Texas, expects the ball will sell for eight figures when it goes under the hammer from August 21 to 23, with a US$2.5 million opening bid.

“I think it’s easily the most historic ball in the realm of soccer,” said Dan Imler, vice-president of sports at Heritage Auctions.

He noted it was also the ball that Maradona used, in the same match, to score the so-called “Goal of the Century”, in which he dribbled past several English defenders before finishing past the goalkeeper.