The Argentina national team shirt worn by the late legend Diego Maradona when he scored two famous goals against England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico will be auctioned later this month, according to what "Euronews" reported from Sotheby’s on Wednesday. The blue shirt with the number 10 has been in the possession of English midfielder Steve Hodge since the controversial World Cup match, after he exchanged shirts with Maradona following England's 1-2 loss in the quarter-finals. This match is one of the most memorable encounters in World Cup history and holds special significance for Argentina as it took place just four years after the Falklands War.
The match became etched in football folklore due to Maradona's two goals: one infamous and the other a masterpiece at the famous Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The first came in the 51st minute when Hodge intercepted a ball on the edge of England's penalty area and tried to return it to goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Maradona sprinted toward it inside the area and jumped to head it as the goalkeeper came out, but he used his hand to open the scoring. England players protested to the Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, but he ignored them and awarded the goal. Maradona later stirred controversy by saying the goal was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with his hand."
Four minutes later, Maradona struck again, and this time there was no doubt. The Argentine star received the ball in the midfield, leaving five English defenders gasping behind him before he outpaced Shilton to shoot into the net, a goal that was voted the "Goal of the Century" in a FIFA poll. Maradona added two goals against Belgium in the semi-finals, and then contributed to his team’s victory over West Germany 3-2 in the final, raising the prestigious trophy as the captain of his country.
Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60 from a heart attack after a long struggle with health issues. Brahm Wachter, head of modern collectibles at Sotheby’s, stated, “The list is long for the types of individuals or organizations that may wish to own this shirt.” He added, “It could be an individual, a museum, or just someone who wants to own the best of the best, or football enthusiasts or a specific club.”
Bidding for Maradona's shirt will start at £4 million ($5.2 million), which is less than the record of $5.6 million set in 2019 for a shirt worn by Babe Ruth while he was with the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s. Last year, a shirt worn by Brooklyn Dodgers star Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, for $4.2 million.
