Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball expected to fetch $10m at US auction

A piece of football history is heading to auction, with the ball Diego Maradona used for his notorious "Hand of God" goal expected to fetch around $10 million. The infamous goal occurred during Argentina's 1986 World Cup quarter-final match against England, where Maradona illegally punched the ball into the net, a foul missed by the referee.

Maradona himself famously described the goal as being scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." Argentina went on to win the World Cup that year. The ball will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions in Texas between August 21 and 23, with an opening bid set at $2.5 million.

This sale follows the record-breaking sale of the jersey Maradona wore during that same Argentina-England match. That shirt sold for $9.3 million, making it the most expensive soccer jersey ever sold. The "Hand of God" goal remains one of the most controversial and iconic moments in World Cup history, deeply intertwined with the long-standing political tensions between Argentina and England, notably their dispute over the Falkland Islands.

“

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