The shirt worn by superstar Diego Maradona in the match between Argentina and England in the 1986 World Cup, the “Hand of God” game, will be auctioned for an estimated value of up to six million pounds.
The shirt of the Argentina captain, who died in 2020, which has been on display at the National Football Museum in Manchester for 18 years, has been put up for sale by Steve Hodge, an England midfielder who swapped shirts with Maradona after the match. final whistle.
The match valid for the quarterfinals was one of the most controversial in the history of the World Cups, after Maradona used his hand to score a goal, an irregularity that the refereeing team did not notice. He then scored a spectacular second goal, securing a 2-1 victory for Argentina.
Interviewed after the game, he declared that the first goal was scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”.
The game was especially tense and carried broader symbolism, taking place just four years after the two countries went to war over the Falkland Islands/Malvinas. In a 2019 documentary, Maradona described the goal as “revenge” for the British victory in the South Atlantic.
“It was one of those moments in history where sport can transcend the confines of just one game,” said Brahm Wachter, who heads up streetwear and modern collectibles at Sotheby’s auction house, which will lead the auction.
The National Football Museum thanked Hodge for the lengthy loan. The institution is not expected to bid on the shirt given the anticipated level of interest, but the museum said it would “love to see the shirt back in our rooms if the buyer needs a safe place to store it.” .
The shirt will be sold at an auction at Sotheby’s that will run from April 20 to May 4. If a buyer bids within the auction house’s estimates, which value the shirt at between £4m and £6m, it would be a record in game auctions.
The current record belongs to a shirt by baseball player Babe Ruth, dating from 1928-1930, which sold for $5.64 million (£4.44 million at the time), including the “buyer’s premium” (a commission paid by the buyer to the auction organizer), in June 2019.
The shirts worn by Argentina were not the official equipment taken to the World Cup. Team coach Carlos Bilardo was concerned about wearing cotton shirts in the scorching heat and humidity of Mexico City and, three days before the game, tasked a member of his team with looking for lighter shirts in stores in the Mexican capital. .
The team crest was sewn onto the new jerseys and the players’ numbers were hastily placed just before the game.
Hodge said in a statement that “it has been an absolute privilege to have played against one of the greatest and most magnificent footballers of all time. It has also been a pleasure to share the jersey with the public for the last 20 years at the National Football Museum.”
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