Diego Maradona Hand of God Match Ball Sells for 3.35 Million at Auction

Sale Price Falls Short of Ambitious $10 Million Estimate

Bidding for the historic football opened at $2.5 million before climbing to a final price of $3.35 million. Heritage Auctions previously anticipated that the item could fetch $10 million or more, describing it as potentially the most valuable football item ever sold. Despite missing that high valuation, the final sum places the artifact firmly among the game’s most historic items. The sale price also places the football well behind another piece of memorabilia from the same match. Maradona’s match-worn shirt from the Argentina-England quarter-final sold for nearly $9.3 million at Sotheby’s in 2022, making the shirt worth almost three times as much as the ball. Furthermore, the match ball did not break the record for the most expensive sports ball sold at auction, a distinction held by Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball, which fetched $4.392 million in 2024 with the buyer’s premium included.

The History Behind the 1986 World Cup Adidas Azteca Ball

The ball carries immense historical significance because it was used for both of Maradona’s iconic goals during Argentina’s 2-1 win over England in Mexico in 1986. The first goal occurred in the 51st minute when Maradona challenged England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and used his left hand to steer the ball into the net. Match officials failed to spot the handball, and Maradona later famously described the moment as being scored a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God. Four minutes after the disputed opening goal, Maradona scored his second. Collecting the ball inside his own half, he dribbled past multiple England defenders, rounded Shilton, and slotted into an open net. That effort earned the title Goal of the Century and was voted FIFA’s greatest World Cup goal in a 2002 poll.

A 36-Year Chain of Ownership and Authentication

Following the final whistle in Mexico, Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser collected the Adidas Azteca match ball and kept it for more than three decades. Bin Nasser signed a letter in 2023 confirming that it was the sole ball used during the quarter-final match. Independent authentication and photographic evidence subsequently backed up the item’s provenance. The ball first went to auction in 2022, selling for $2.37 million. It was put up for sale again in 2023, but that attempt failed when bidding missed the reserve price, with reports indicating the top unsuccessful bid reached roughly $2.04 million. Heritage Auctions secured a higher return during the Saturday sale, though collectors ultimately valued the historic artifact far below the initial $10 million target.