Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball heads to US auction

New York: The soccer ball that Diego Maradona used to score his infamous "Hand of God" goal during Argentina's win over England in the 1986 World Cup is expected to sell for $10 million at a US auction this month.

Maradona's goal in the quarter-final match at the Estadio Azteca saw him punch the ball past the England goalkeeper, with the South Americans ultimately winning 2-1. 

After the game, the Argentine star said his goal was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." His nation went on to win the World Cup. 

Heritage Auctions, based in Texas, expects the ball will sell for eight figures when it goes under the hammer from August 21 to 23, with a $2.5 million opening bid. 

"I think it's easily the most historic ball in the realm of soccer," Dan Imler, vice president of sports at Heritage Auctions, told AFP.

He noted it is also the ball that Maradona used, in the same match, to score the so-called "Goal of the Century" in which he dribbled past several English defenders before finishing past the goalkeeper. 

"Both of the goals scored are just so iconic, so memorable," Imler said.

The jersey that Maradona, who died in November 2020, wore during the Argentina-England clash currently holds the record for the most expensive soccer shirt -- standing at $9.3 million. 

Tensions between old foes Argentina and England flared again in a semi-final at this year's World Cup, where the South American side prevailed before losing the final. 

Politically, the two sides have a long-standing sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands.