The shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the 1986 World Cup has sold for a record-breaking £7.1 million at auction, the highest sum ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia.
Sotheby’s auctioned the garment in an online auction that ended on Wednesday. The buyer was not identified.
The shirt came from the collection of former English player Steve Hodge, who auctioned it 36 years after swapping it with Maradona at the conclusion of Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 quarter-final win in Mexico.
Maradona, who died in November 2020, scored twice in the game, which took place barely four years after the Falkland Islands conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom.
His first goal was ruled a header, but the ball rebounded off his fist, out of sight of the referee, and the Argentine icon later claimed it was scored “a little with Maradona’s head, and a little with God’s hand.”
It was dubbed the ‘Hand of God’ after that.
In a FIFA survey in 2002, Maradona’s second goal, in which he dribbled past nearly the whole English squad, was selected “goal of the century.”
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectables, commented: “This historic shirt is a tangible reminder of an important moment not only in the history of sports, but in the history of the 20th century.
“In the weeks since we announced the auction we have been inundated by sports fans and collectors alike, with a palpable excitement in the air for the duration of the public exhibition – and this unfiltered enthusiasm was echoed in the bidding.
“This is arguably the most coveted football shirt to ever come to auction, and so it is fitting that it now holds the auction record for any object of its kind.”