Football · Mexico City and Dallas
Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball goes to auction with $10 million estimate
The ball from Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal at the 1986 World Cup will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions from August 21 to 23, with a starting bid of $2.5 million and an estimate exceeding $10 million.
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In brief
Heritage Auctions will sell the ball from August 21 to 23 with a starting bid of $2.5 million and an estimate exceeding $10 million.
The ball was used in the Argentina-England quarter-final on June 22, 1986, at the Estadio Azteca, where Argentina won 2-1 and went on to claim the World Cup.
Referee Ali Bennaceur stated in a 2023 letter that he recovered the only ball used in the match, had it signed by his assistants, and kept it for over thirty years; two memorabilia companies verified its authenticity.
Maradona's shirt from the same match sold for $9.3 million in 2022, the current record for a football shirt; the ball could surpass that figure.
- 22 JunArgentina beats England 2-1 in World Cup quarter-final at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City; Maradona scores 'Hand of God' goal in 51st minute and 'Goal of the Century' four minutes later
- 2022Ball first offered at auction, bids reach nearly $2 million; Maradona's shirt from same match sold for record $9.3 million
- 2023Ball offered at auction again, bids reach nearly $2 million; referee Ali Bennaceur writes letter documenting provenance
- 21 AugHeritage Auctions opens sale with $2.5 million starting bid, estimates final price above $10 million
The auction
Heritage Auctions, a Texas-based auction house, will sell the ball from August 21 to 23, with a starting bid set at $2.5 million (approximately 2.2 million euros). The auction house estimates the final price could exceed $10 million (approximately 8.6 million euros), an eight-figure sum that would set a new record for football memorabilia. The ball was previously offered at auction in 2022 and 2023, with bids reaching nearly $2 million (approximately 1.7 million euros) on each occasion, well below the current estimate. The upcoming sale reflects a surge in the valuation of Maradona memorabilia, driven by the historical significance of one of the most famous and controversial matches in football history.
The match and the two goals
The ball was used in the World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England on June 22, 1986, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Argentina won 2-1. In the 51st minute, captain Maradona jumped and punched the ball with his fist past English goalkeeper Peter Shilton, a foul unnoticed by Tunisian referee Ali Bennaceur, who validated the goal. After the match, Maradona described the goal in a joking tone.
“A little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
Only four minutes later, "El Pibe de Oro" scored what is considered the best goal in World Cup history, receiving the ball near the halfway line, eluding five opponents and their desperate attempts to dispossess him, and sending it past Shilton. Argentina went on to win the tournament, beating West Germany 3-2 in the final for their second world title after 1978.
Provenance and authentication
Heritage Auctions states on its website that referee Ali Bennaceur wrote in a letter dated 2023 that he recovered the only ball used during the match, had it signed by his assistants, and kept it for more than thirty years. The auction house adds that the ball's authenticity was verified by two companies specializing in sports memorabilia, based in part on photographs. The combination of the referee's documented chain of custody and third-party authentication underpins the auction house's confidence in the eight-figure estimate.
Maradona memorabilia and rivalry
The shirt Maradona wore during the same match holds the current record for the most expensive football shirt, sold for $9.3 million (eight million euros) in 2022. If the ball reaches its estimated price, it would surpass that figure. The match itself carried political weight, coming four years after the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom, and contributed to the complex legend of Maradona, who died in November 2020 at age 60. Tensions between the two countries rekindled in a 2026 World Cup semi-final, where Argentina won 2-1 before losing the final 1-0 to Spain. The two nations maintain a long-standing dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
- Ball auction 2022
- 2 M USD
- Ball auction 2023
- 2 M USD
- Shirt sale 2022
- 9.3 M USD
- Ball 2026 starting bid
- 2.5 M USD
- Ball 2026 estimate
- 10 M USD
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Sources and context
- Rai newsAll'asta il pallone della "Mano di Dio" di Maradona, stima record da 10 milioni
- SAPOBola da 'mão de deus' de Maradona vai a leilão: preço inicial é de 2,2 milhões de euros
- La Repubblica.itAll'asta il pallone della Mano di Dio: fino a 10 milioni di dollari per averlo
- La Libre.beLe ballon de la "main de Dieu" aux enchères, estimé à plus de 10 millions de dollars
- Diego Maradona
- Argentine footballer who scored the 'Hand of God' goal and the 'Goal of the Century' in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England
- Ali Bennaceur
- Tunisian referee of the 1986 Argentina-England match who kept the match ball for over thirty years
- Peter Shilton
- English goalkeeper beaten by Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final
- Places
- Mexico, United States
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