Maradona's 'Hand of God' Ball Expected to Fetch $10M

The soccer ball that Diego Maradona used to score his controversial "Hand of God" goal during Argentina's victory over England in the 1986 World Cup is anticipated to fetch $10 million at a US auction. This auction, conducted by Heritage Auctions based in Texas, is scheduled to take place from August 21 to 23, 2023, with an opening bid set at $2.5 million.

Maradona's goal, which occurred in the quarter-final match, involved him illegally punching the ball into the net, a foul that went unnoticed by the referee. Maradona famously remarked that the goal was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." Following this match, Argentina went on to win the World Cup.

The jersey Maradona wore during the same match currently holds the record for the most expensive soccer shirt, valued at $9.3 million. The auction comes amid renewed tensions between Argentina and England, highlighted by their recent semi-final encounter in the 2022 World Cup.