Maradona 'Hand of God' Ball Auctioned for $3.35M After 2-1 England Win

The historic Adidas Azteca ball used in Argentina's 2-1 quarterfinal victory against England sold for $3.35 million at Heritage Auctions.

The Adidas Azteca football used by Diego Maradona to score his "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup sold for $3.35 million (£2.5 million) at Heritage Auctions on a Saturday evening. This final price fell nearly £5 million ($6.8 million) short of the $10 million (£7.3 million) valuation previously attached to the item by the Dallas-based firm. Bidding for the artifact, which Heritage Auctions labeled "the most significant football," began at a starting price of $2.5 million (£1.8 million).

During the 1986 quarterfinal match, the Argentina captain scored both goals to secure a 2-1 victory over England. The opening score occurred when Maradona palmed the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, a play the striker later described as being "a little from the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God." Following this controversial opener, Maradona doubled the lead to 2-0 by dribbling from the halfway line through the English defense and dinking the ball over Shilton, a strike FIFA later designated as the "Goal of the Century."

Authentication and Ownership History

Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the 1986 fixture, took possession of the ball at full-time and retained it for over thirty years. In 2023, Bin Nasser provided a signed letter confirming this Adidas Azteca was the solitary ball utilized throughout the entire match. Independent authentication further verified the item's provenance. Prior to the most recent sale, Bin Nasser sold the ball in 2022 for $2.37 million (£1.74 million).

The ball was previously listed for auction in 2023 by its subsequent owner, but that attempt failed to result in a sale because the bids did not reach the established minimum value. The $3.35 million realized in the latest Heritage Auctions event follows a 2022 sale at Sotheby’s in London, where the shirt worn by Maradona during the same 2-1 quarterfinal win fetched a then world-record price of $9.28 million (£7.1 million).

Historical Context of the 1986 Quarterfinal

Diego Maradona, who passed away in November 2020, served as the captain of the Argentina squad during the tournament in Mexico. The match ball remained in the private collection of Ali Bin Nasser until the 2022 transaction. While the ball failed to meet the $10 million estimate, it remains one of the most expensive pieces of soccer memorabilia ever sold, alongside the record-breaking jersey from the same game.

Documentation provided during the auction process ensured that the ball's identity as the specific equipment used for both the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century" was indisputable. The discrepancy between the $3.35 million sale price and the $10 million valuation represents a gap of approximately 66 percent relative to the firm's initial expectations. Despite this, the opening bid of $2.5 million was surpassed by nearly $1 million during the Saturday evening proceedings at the Dallas-based auction house.