Nearly four decades after one of the most controversial and legendary moments in soccer history, the match ball from Diego Maradona’s iconic 1986 World Cup quarter-final clash between Argentina and England is set to go under the hammer at a Texas-based auction house this August, with experts projecting it could fetch as much as $10 million.
The 1986 showdown at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca remains etched in global soccer lore for two unprecedented goals from Maradona that sealed Argentina’s 2-1 win over England. The first, the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal, saw the Argentine superstar illegally punch the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton; after the match, Maradona famously quipped the goal was scored ‘a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.’ Just minutes later, Maradona scored what is still widely known as the ‘Goal of the Century,’ dribbling past six England defenders from halfway across the pitch before slotting the ball into the net – all with the same match ball that is now heading to auction.
Argentina would go on to claim their second World Cup title that tournament, cementing Maradona’s status as one of the greatest players to ever step onto a soccer pitch. Maradona died in November 2020 at the age of 60, leaving behind a legacy of unrivaled skill and enduring controversy that continues to draw global fascination.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions is set to open bidding on the historic ball from August 21 to 23, with an opening bid set at $2.5 million. Dan Imler, vice president of sports at Heritage Auctions, told Agence France-Presse that the ball stands alone as the most significant piece of soccer memorabilia in existence. ‘Both of the goals scored are just so iconic, so memorable,’ Imler said. ‘I think it’s easily the most historic ball in the realm of soccer.’
The ball is not the only piece of memorabilia from the historic match to break price records in recent years. The jersey Maradona wore during the clash sold at auction for $9.3 million in 2022, retaining the title of the most expensive soccer shirt ever sold.
Rivalry between Argentina and England has extended far beyond the soccer pitch for decades. The two nations have held a long-running political dispute over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, which boiled over into the 1982 Falklands War just four years before the iconic 1986 World Cup match. The rivalry reignited most recently at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where Argentina defeated England in a heated semi-final clash before ultimately going on to win their third World Cup title, 36 years after Maradona led them to their second win.