In brief
The iconic football used by Diego Maradona to score his famed “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter‑final was auctioned in the United States for £2.5 million. The sale fell well short of the anticipated £7.3 million high‑flake, prompting questions about how the sports‑collectibles market values historical items. The ball was authenticated by the match referee, Tunisian Ali Bin Nasser, who kept it for over thirty years before offering it to bidders. Despite its storied provenance, collectors and pundits alike remain divided on whether the ball’s cultural significance outweighs its monetary worth.
The football with which Diego Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal during the 1986 World Cup quarter‑final against England has been sold at auction in the United States for £2.5 million.
Maradona famously hit the ball past goalkeeper Peter Shilton in a 2‑1 win, later admitting the goal was a mix of his head and a “hand of God”. The same match also featured what many call the “Goal of the Century”, where Maradona dribbled past five defenders before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper.
The ball was sold by Heritage Auctions on Saturday for $3.3 million, a figure far below the $10 million estimate that many experts expected. Auctioneer Mike Provenzale described it as a one‑of‑a‑kind item, “arguably the most significant soccer item that exists.”
Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser originally collected the Adidas Azteca ball at full‑time and kept it for over three decades before confirming in 2023 that it was the sole ball used in the match. The ball’s authenticity was further verified by independent experts, underscoring its historical value.
While the ball’s sale price disappointed many collectors, the match’s shirt worn by Maradona sold for £7.1 million at auction in 2022, highlighting the wide range of valuations for sports memorabilia.
