Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball sells for £2.5m at auction, 40 years on

The football from Diego Maradona’s notorious ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup sold for $3.3m (£2.5m) at Heritage Auctions in the United States on Saturday, falling well short of pre-sale estimates that had placed its value at around $10m (£7.3m).

Maradona scored twice in Argentina’s 2-0 quarter-final victory in Mexico City 40 years ago, the first coming when he punched the ball into the net past English goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Referee Ali Bin Nasser failed to spot the infringement and allowed the goal to stand. Maradona later told reporters the strike had been scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God” — a quote that has since become one of football’s most enduring lines.

The Argentina captain followed that controversial opener with a sweeping solo goal widely regarded as one of the greatest ever scored, and his side went on to win the tournament.

The Adidas Azteca ball was collected by Bin Nasser at full-time and kept in his possession for more than three decades. The Tunisian official first sold it at auction in 2022 for $2.37m (£1.74m). It was listed again a year later but failed to sell after bids did not meet the minimum reserve.

Saturday’s sale marks the second time the ball has successfully changed hands at auction, with its price rising by roughly £760,000 since 2022 despite falling far short of the headline estimate. The result underlines the enduring commercial fascination with one of football’s most debated moments, even as the final hammer price disappointed those who had anticipated a record-breaking sum.