Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball sells for $3.35m at auction

The football Diego Maradona used to score his infamous “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 World Cup sold for US$3.35 million at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, far below the US$10 million pre-auction estimate Source: SCMP. The Adidas Azteca ball, which carried a starting price of US$2.5 million, was sold over the weekend Source: Ground News. Maradona scored twice in Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory on June 22, 1986, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. His first goal, punched past goalkeeper Peter Shilton, was later described by Maradona as scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God” Source: SCMP. Four minutes later, he scored a solo effort voted the “Goal of the Century” Source: Al Jazeera. Argentina went on to win the World Cup Source: Al Jazeera. The sale price was about US$6.7 million below the estimate, and reports note the auction “failed to meet the expectations that had been created” Source: Ground News. The ball’s provenance and the enduring controversy of the goal continue to attract global interest Source: Al Jazeera.