Forty years after Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal, the incident remains a source of contention between English and Argentine footballing culture. The goal, scored during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City, saw Maradona punch the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Referee Ali Bin Nasser allowed the goal to stand, a decision that has been scrutinised ever since.
British football figures have reflected on the moment, with some calling it a deliberate act of cheating and others acknowledging its place in football folklore. Maradona himself later said it was scored ‘a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God’. The goal has overshadowed what was otherwise a masterclass from the Argentine, who went on to score a sublime second goal in the same match, dribbling past five English players.
The match ended 2-1 to Argentina, who would go on to win the World Cup. English players from that game, including Gary Lineker and Peter Reid, have expressed mixed feelings over the decades, with Lineker calling it ‘the most controversial goal in World Cup history’. The debate over its legitimacy has never fully subsided.
