Maradona's 'Hand of God' World Cup ball sells for $3.35m at auction
Table of Contents
 |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Diego Maradona's 1986 World Cup ball sells for $3.35m at Heritage Auctions.
- The Adidas Azteca falls well short of its $10m pre-auction estimate.
- The ball was used for both of Maradona's iconic goals against England.
The Adidas Azteca match ball was sold by Heritage Auctions in Dallas on Saturday, after bidding opened at $2.5 million. Its final price fell considerably short of the auction house's pre-sale estimate of $10 million or more.
Despite missing that ambitious valuation, the sale places one of football's most recognisable pieces of memorabilia firmly among the game's most valuable historic artefacts.
Heritage had described the ball as potentially the most valuable football item ever sold and arguably one of the most famous balls in sporting history.
The ball behind two legendary goals
The ball was used during Argentina's 2-1 quarter-final victory over England in Mexico in 1986, when Maradona produced two moments that would become central to his legacy.His first goal came in the 51st minute. Maradona rose to challenge England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and used his left hand to steer the ball into the net.
The officials failed to spot the infringement and awarded the goal.
Maradona later gave the moment its famous name, saying it had been scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God."
Four minutes later, he produced something entirely different.
Collecting the ball inside his own half, Maradona embarked on a mazy run past England defenders before rounding Shilton and finishing into an open net. The goal subsequently became known as the "Goal of the Century" and was later voted FIFA's greatest World Cup goal in a 2002 poll.
The fact that the same ball was used for both goals significantly enhanced its appeal to collectors.
Referee kept the ball for 36 years
Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the quarter-final, collected the Adidas Azteca after the final whistle and kept it for more than three decades.Bin Nasser later signed a letter in 2023 confirming that it was the only ball used during the match. Independent authentication and photographic evidence subsequently supported the provenance of the item.
The ball was first sold at auction in 2022 for $2.37 million.
It was then offered again in 2023, but the sale failed after bidding did not reach the reserve price. Reports put the unsuccessful top bid at around $2.04 million.
Heritage's latest auction therefore delivered a higher price, although still nowhere near the $10 million level anticipated beforehand.
Top 15 best 2026/27 football kits ranked
The best 2026/27 football kits ranked, from Lyon and Real Madrid to Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Read This Next →Maradona's shirt remains far more valuable
The latest result also falls considerably short of the price achieved by another piece of memorabilia from the same match.Maradona's shirt from Argentina's quarter-final against England sold for nearly $9.3 million at Sotheby's in 2022.
That means the shirt remains worth almost three times as much as the match ball.
The ball also failed to become the most expensive sports ball ever sold at auction.
That distinction belongs to Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball, which fetched $4.392 million in 2024, including the buyer's premium.
Why did the ball fall short of $10m?
The difference between the expected $10 million valuation and the eventual $3.35 million sale price is striking.The ball had several factors working in its favour: its direct connection to two historic World Cup goals, a long-established chain of ownership and additional authentication linking it to the 1986 match.
But the final result suggests collectors were not prepared to place it in the same financial category as Maradona's famous match-worn shirt.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup also provided a natural backdrop for the sale. Before the auction, Reuters reported that soccer memorabilia was experiencing growing interest in the United States, with major tournaments helping drive demand.
Even so, the market ultimately settled well below Heritage's ambitious estimate.
A remarkable piece of football history
Few sporting objects can be tied so directly to two iconic moments.This Adidas Azteca was not simply present during Argentina's victory over England. It was the ball Maradona used to score the controversial goal that entered football folklore as the "Hand of God," before using it again minutes later to produce one of the greatest individual goals the sport has ever seen.
Its $3.35 million sale therefore represents more than another expensive piece of memorabilia. It places a tangible object from one of football's defining matches in the hands of a new collector.
And whilst the price did not come close to the $10 million prediction, the ball's place in football history remains virtually impossible to replicate.
Post a Comment