The football used by Diego Maradona to score his infamous “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 World Cup has been sold for £2.5m at auction in the United States.
The Adidas Azteca ball fetched $3.3m at Heritage Auctions on Saturday, although it fell significantly short of the estimated $10m (£7.3m) valuation.
Maradona used his hand to beat England goalkeeper Peter Shilton during Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory in Mexico.
After the match, the Argentine legend famously described the goal as having been scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”.
Mike Provenzale, a specialist auctioneer at Heritage Auctions, had earlier described the ball as an exceptionally rare piece of football history.
“It’s a true one-of-one item. Arguably the most significant soccer item that exists,” Provenzale told Reuters before the sale.
The match ball was collected by Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser at the final whistle and remained in his possession for more than 30 years.
Bin Nasser later signed a letter in 2023 confirming that the Adidas Azteca was the only ball used during the match.
Its authenticity was also supported by further independent verification.
The referee initially sold the ball in 2022 for $2.37m (£1.74m).
It was offered for auction again in 2023, but failed to sell after bids did not reach the seller’s minimum price.
The same quarter-final also produced another iconic Maradona moment, with the forward scoring his second goal after dribbling past five England outfield players before beating Shilton
. The strike is widely regarded as the “goal of the century”.
Maradona’s shirt from the match attracted an even higher price when it was auctioned in 2022, selling for £7.1m.
The football’s latest sale adds another remarkable chapter to the enduring legacy of one of the most famous matches in World Cup history.
