The Maradona Hand of God ball used in Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over England in 1986 sold for $3.3 million at a United States auction.
Heritage Auctions sold the Adidas Azteca ball on Saturday for well below its pre-auction estimate of about $10 million.
Maradona used the ball to score Argentina’s opening goal against England in Mexico, beating goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his hand. Argentina went on to win the quarter-final 2-1.
Minutes later, Maradona scored another goal after dribbling past five England outfield players before beating Shilton, a strike later widely known as the “Goal of the Century.”
Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser kept the match ball for more than three decades. He signed a letter in 2023 stating that it was the only ball used during the game, a claim later supported by independent authentication.
Read: Maradona Trial: Surgeon Calls Him ‘Difficult Patient’ in 2025 Negligence Case
Bin Nasser previously sold the ball for $2.37 million in 2022. It returned to auction in 2023 but failed to sell after bidding did not reach the reserve price.
Heritage Auctions specialist Mike Provenzale described the ball before the latest sale as a unique and highly significant piece of football memorabilia. Maradona’s shirt from the same 1986 match sold for £7.1 million at auction in 2022.
