The “Hand of God” football goes up for auction for $10 million.

The ball with which Diego Maradona scored, particularly with his hand, during Argentina’s legendary victory over England at the 1986 World Cup could sell at auction in the United States at the end of August for over $10 million.

The auction, organized by the American auction house Heritage Auctions, which provided the initial estimate, will take place from August 21st to 23rd. The starting price has been set at $2.5 million.

The Symbolism of the Argentina-England Match at the 1986 World Cup

The jersey worn by the Argentine star during that quarterfinal match, won 2-1 by his team on June 22, 1986, in Mexico City, sold for a record $9.3 million in 2022. The ball itself was auctioned in 2022 and 2023, with bids reaching nearly $2 million on both occasions.

This match, charged with symbolism four years after the Falklands War between the two countries, contributed significantly to the complex legend of Maradona, who passed away in November 2020 at the age of 60. In the 51st minute, the Argentine captain scored, clearly with his hand, and at the end of the match he ironically referred to that gesture as “the hand of God.” Just four minutes later, “El Pibe de Oro” scored an unforgettable goal, starting from his own half and beating four opponents before the English goalkeeper. Argentina went on to win the World Cup.

Heritage Auctions explains on its website that the referee, Tunisian Ali Bennaceur, stated in a 2023 letter that he had recovered the only ball used during the match, had it autographed by his assistants, and kept it for over thirty years. The auction house adds that it had the item authenticated by two companies specializing in sports memorabilia, primarily based on photographs.