Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Ball to Auction For $3.4M Bid
The “hand of God” ball, which Diego Maradona famously scored with in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England, has been placed up for auction by the match’s contentious referee, Ali Bin Nasser.
During the high-profile contest between the two nations at political war with one another following the Falklands war, Maradona produced one of the most unforgettable moments in a World Cup.
The maverick Maradona scored the game’s opening goal with the notorious “hand of God,” running into the area, leaping over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, and smashing the ball into the goal. Referee Bin Nasser controversially awarded the goal.
The Napoli star scored his second goal of the game by dribbling past five England defenders and putting the ball into an empty net. This strike was chosen as the “Goal of the Century” in a FIFA poll conducted in 2002.
Later on, Argentina won the World Cup.
Bin Nasser, the ball’s owner, has chosen to part ways with the famed ball 36 years after the historic occurrence.
“This ball has a place in the annals of world football. To share it with the public now feels like the perfect time,” he said.
Graham Budd Auctions, a London-based company, claims that the ball will be put up for auction the following month, with bidding beginning on November 16. Online registration for the bidding competition is now open to interested purchasers. beginning on October 28 for registration.
Additionally, the corporation stated that it expected to sell the ball for anywhere between £2.5 million and £3 million, or up to $3.4 million.
The statement read, “Given the history surrounding the ball, we are anticipating tremendous interest in this lot when it is put up for auction.”
Maradona passed away in 2020 at the age of 60, but the items bearing his name continue to be extremely expensive; the jersey he wore during the game, for example, sold for almost $9.3 million.
