Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball sells for $3.35 million

The Adidas Azteca ball used by Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals has sold for $3.35 million at a Heritage Auctions event in Dallas, United States. The sale price fell significantly short of the $10 million estimate projected by auctioneers.

The ball is historically significant for being the object used during the four-minute span in which Maradona scored both the controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal and the ‘Goal of the Century’ against England. In that match, Argentina defeated England 2-1.

The item was previously held for over three decades by the match referee, Ali Bin Nasser. The final sale price of $3.35 million is notable but remains lower than the $9.28 million achieved by Maradona’s jersey in a 2022 auction.