Maradona’s 'Hand of God' Ball Sells for £2.5 M at Auction

Sat Oct 10 2026 14:18:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Diego Maradona’s famous World Cup football sold for £2.5m, well below the expected £7.3m, sparking debate over sports memorabilia valuations.

The ball used in Diego Maradona’s infamous ’Hand of God’ goal at the 1986 World Cup has sold for £2.5 million at an American auction, far under the projected £7.3 million. The Adidas Azteca ball, authenticated and owned by former referee Ali Bin Nasser, previously fetched £1.74 million in 2022. The low sale price has reignited discussions about the market for iconic sports artifacts and the influence of sporting narratives on their value.

Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Ball Sells for £2.5 M

The football used by Diego Maradona to score the controversial, world‑wide‑famous ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter‑final against England has been auctioned for £2.5 million.

The match, played on a rainy day in Mexico City, ended Argentina 2‑1 England with Maradona’s hand‑goal and later a goal of the century that saw him dribble past five England players.

Sold by American auction house Heritage Auctions, the ball’s final bid bleeds great currency differences: $3.3 million equals roughly £2.5 million – a far cry from the £7.3 million (about $10 million) lenders expected.

Owner Ali Bin Nasser, who served as referee in the 1986 match, had owned the ball for over thirty years and confirmed its authenticity in 2023. He had previously sold it in 2022 for $2.37 million (£1.74 million) and again listed it in 2023 without achieving the minimum bid.

Maradona’s match‑wear shirt, sold in 2022, reached £7.1 million, showing how different items of the same event can vary widely in appeal and price.

The auction uncovers a complex market where historical significance, provenance, and fan sentiment collide to determine value – a reality that continues to surprise collectors and historians alike.