On the 22nd of June 1986, 25 year old Diego Maradona “The Golden Boy” – who many consider the greatest to ever play the game of football – made history in the match and cement his name permanently in the chronicle of the sport and on the world’s largest stage at that. Diego scored two of the most extraordinary goals (and perhaps one of the luckiest) in football were scored in the same match. 

In the 1986 FIFA World Cup™ Quarterfinals, the halftime score between Argentina and England sat at 0-0.

The Hand of God.

In this encounter between Argentina and England, a poor interception played the ball enticingly up into the air between England keeper Peter Shilton and the Argentinian genius Maradona. Maradona got to the ball first, and used his hand – rather than his head – to punch the ball into the net. Despite the protestations of the England players, the referee had not seen the incident and the goal stood. Maradona then went on to score his wonder goal (see above), and Argentina went all the way to win the final against West Germany.

Diego Maradona’ play defied logic. But what set him apart from other quality players was that he did it on the world’s stage. And he did it dramatically.

These could all be their own ‘greatest moment,’ but we’ve included them together for simplicity’s sake.

A miscued English clearance sent the ball into the England eighteen yard box and a jumping Maradona turned the ball home. With his hand.
The referee didn’t see it, and allowed the goal. 

Maradona would later say he told his teammates, “I told them, ’Come hug me, or the referee isn’t going to allow it.’” After the game Maradona was quoted saying he made the goal with, “a little with the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God.”

He would later explicitly state that he felt it was “symbolic revenge” for the United Kingdom’s victory in the Falklands Island War. The play is globally renowned as one of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport of football.

Maradona 'Hand of God' World Cup ball sold for $2.4M 

After the game, Maradona told the press that the goal was scored "un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios," or “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God".

Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian former match official who refereed the quarterfinal game between Argentina and England in Mexico, owned the 36-year-old Adidas ball that was sold at Graham Budd Auctions in London for 2 million pounds ($2.37 million) on Wednesday.

“Without a doubt, it’s the world’s most famous football,” Terry Butcher, who captained England during the 2-1 defeat against Argentina at the 1986 World Cup

Join us in celebrating Diego, 

Be a TENLEGEND.