Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball auctioned for £2.5m

The iconic football that Diego Maradona used to score his infamous 'Hand of God' goal during the 1986 World Cup has fetched £2.5 million at auction. The ball was sold by Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee who officiated the quarter-final match where Argentina defeated England 2-1.

Maradona famously punched the ball into the net, later claiming it was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." In the same game, he also scored the 'goal of the century,' dribbling past five England players. Bin Nasser kept the Adidas Azteca ball for over three decades after the match.

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It’s a true one-of-one item. Arguably the most significant soccer item that exists.

Sold at Heritage Auctions in the United States on Saturday for $3.3 million (£2.5 million), the ball's final price fell short of the $10 million (£7.3 million) it was expected to achieve. Mike Provenzale, a specialist auctioneer at Heritage, described the item as "a true one-of-one item. Arguably the most significant soccer item that exists."

Bin Nasser had previously sold the ball in 2022 for $2.37 million (£1.74 million). It was put up for auction again in 2023 but did not sell as bids did not meet the reserve price. In comparison, the shirt Maradona wore during the same match sold for £7.1 million in 2022.

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a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God