The ball which was punched inside the net by Argentina legend, Diego Maradona for his “Hand of God” goal during the 1986 World Cup has been auctioned for around $2.4million.
Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee who refereed the quarter-final match between Argentina and England in Mexico, owned the Adidas ball that was auctioned at Graham Budd Auctions in London for £2m ($2.37m) recently.
Before the auction, Bin Nasser said he felt it was the right time to share the item with the world and expressed optimism that the buyer would display it publicly.
The Maradona goal which gave Argentina a 1-0 lead in that match against England should not have been allowed and has become part of Maradona.
Maradona jumped like he wanted to head the ball but instead punched it past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
Maradona joked afterward that it was scored a “little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God,” leading to its iconic name.
While speaking before the auction, Bin Nasser said: “I couldn’t see the incident clearly. The two players, Shilton and Maradona, were facing me from behind.
“As per FIFA’s instructions issued before the tournament, I looked to my linesman for confirmation of the validity of the goal — he made his way back to the halfway line indicating he was satisfied that the goal should stand.
“At the end of the match, the England head coach Bobby Robson said to me, ‘You did a good job, but the linesman was irresponsible.”’
Maradona scored a great second goal against England just four minutes later with the same ball by running almost 70 meters from his own half and went past half the England team before he slipped the ball past Shilton to make it 2-0.
The goal was voted the World Cup Goal of the Century in 2002.
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