Maradona’s “Hand of God” Ball Expected to Fetch $10 Million at Heritage Auctions

In fact, an argument can be made that the photo-matched 1986 Diego Maradona "Hand of God" and "Goal of the Century" Game Used Soccer Ball that will take its shot in the Heritage August 21–23 Sports Auction to become the most valuable soccer item ever sold is the most famous ball in the history of any sport.

The ball offered in this auction ranks up there in the same pantheon of sports history. When they squared off in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal in Mexico City, Argentina and England were global powers, each thought to be a legitimate contender to win the coveted trophy, four years after they were at war in the Falkland Islands. After an intense scoreless first half, the 25-year-old Maradona, the Argentinean striker who had taken international soccer by storm with his electric style and highlight-reel goals, raced behind the English defense, outjumped English goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who at 6-1 stood a full 8 inches taller than the 5-5 Maradona, to knock in the game’s first goal in the 51st minute. Members of the English squad immediately turned to the officials in protest, contending that the score should be waived off because Maradona had scored the goal with his left hand, not his head. But referee Ali Ben Nasser and assistant referee (linesman) Bogdan Dochev missed the infraction, and in the absence of any kind of replay, the goal stood.

After the game, Maradona explained the goal to the gathered media. “Un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios,” he said — translated: “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.” It was less an outright denial of a violation of the rules and more of a deflection, deftly dancing around the question.

“The British outcry resonated throughout the soccer world,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “One of the proudest soccer nations in the world felt like a victim of one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in the history of the sport. The English felt that their team, a squad that had legitimate hopes of winning the World Cup that year, had been robbed … and their reaction, whether accurate or not, was understandable. Their disappointment was legitimate, but it does nothing to take away from two of the most spectacular goals in the history of the sport.”

The controversial goal definitely changed the tenor of the game and will be remembered forever.

But just four minutes later, Maradona collected a pass a few yards behind the midfield line and shredded the English defense, dribbling past five would-be defenders on a 60-yard sprint toward the goal and tucking the ball — the same ball offered in this auction — past Shilton in what came to be known as the “Goal of the Century.” The goal was no meaningless highlight at the end of a lopsided contest. It stood up as the game-winner, a tally that sent Argentina through to the semifinal, which it won over Belgium before knocking off West Germany in the title game to win the World Cup.