In brief
The Adidas Azteca football used in Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal at the 1986 World Cup has been auctioned for £2.5 million in the United States, a price below the high expectations of $10 million. The ball, collected by referee Ali Bin Nasser for over thirty years, had previously fetched £1.74 million in 2022 and again failed to meet reserves in a 2023 auction. Authenticity checks confirm it as the sole ball used in that historic match. The sale highlights the continuing fascination—and commodification—of football’s most iconic moments. Alongside the ball, Maradona’s shirt sold for £7.1 million a year earlier.
The single piece of football you might argue won the world record at the 1986 World Cup sold for £2.5 million in a Heritage Auctions event in the United States, demonstrating the unabated allure of sporting relics.
In the quarter‑final between Argentina and England, Maradona punched the ball past goalkeeper Peter Shilton, a move that would later be dubbed the “Hand of God.” The ball, an Adidas Azteca model, was tacked to a stand and photographed after the match but without a photo‑caption in the original document.
Despite predictions that the price could climb near $10 million (about £7.3 million), the auction ended at $3.3 million (£2.5 million). Auctioneer Mike Provenzale declared it “the most significant soccer item that exists.”
Bin Nasser, the Tunis‑based referee who was on the field that day, had held the ball for more than thirty years. He confirmed in 2023 that it was the only ball used during the match and sold it a year later for $2.37 million (£1.74 million). The ball was then relisted in 2023, but did not hit the stipulated reserve price.
The story of this football echoes that of Maradona’s shirt, which achieved a £7.1 million sale in 2022. Together, they underscore the tangible value of moments that have defined football history.
