Most expensive ever: Diego Maradona’s Hand of God sold for $ 9.3 million
According to the Sotheby’s Corporation where the auction was held, this is the highest price paid for a sports item. Initially, the auction organizers estimated that the shirt would sell for $ 5 million
The game shirt that Diego Maradona wore when he scored the famous “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup was sold today (Wednesday) in England for a record amount – 7.14 million pounds, or about 9.28 million dollars.
Maradona alongside the game shirt that sold for more than nine million dollars (Photo: Sotheby’s)
As you may recall, in early April we reported on Sotheby’s Corporation’s intention to sell the shirt at auction. At the time, Sotheby’s executives estimated that the item would sell for $ 5 million, but as mentioned, the shirt was actually sold for double the price.
The auction lasted several days and ended today, and Sotheby’s refused to disclose the identity of the buyer.
#AuctionUpdate The football shirt worn by Diego Maradona for “The Hand of God” & the “Goal of the Century” at the 1986 World Cup just sold online for £7,142,500 / $9,284,536 – marking a new auction record for any item of sports memorabilia. pic.twitter.com/9OBNG4OjYx
— Sotheby’s (@Sothebys) May 4, 2022
As mentioned, this is Maradona’s game shirt from the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals. The game itself took place on June 22, 1986 in Mexico City – only four years after the Falklands War (between Argentina and Britain) ended.
In fact, Maradona scored two goals in the same game. At first, many thought Maradona had hit the ball into the net, but in practice he used his hand. After the game Maradona was asked about it and replied that the gate was conquered “a little with the help of Maradona’s head, and a little with the help of the hand of God” (hence the name of the famous gate).
Maradona’s second goal was quite amazing, as he passed most of the England national team players in the dribbling. In a FIFA survey conducted in 2002, this gate was chosen as the largest gate of the 20th century.
The “Hand of God” Gate at the 1986 World Cup (Photo: Getty Images)
“The two goals balance each other in an amazing way and reveal both sides of Maradona’s character,” said Wechter. “The first side was very cunning and did not include an element of luck. See”.
As mentioned, Argentina defeated England in the game, and later also defeated Belgium (2-0 clutch of Maradona) and defeated West Germany in the final.
Maradona, who is considered by many to be one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away in November 2020, at the age of 60.
As mentioned, Maradona’s game shirt sold for $ 9.28 million, and according to Sotheby’s, this is the highest amount for a sports item offered for sale at auction. The previous record was broken twice in 2019, when an Olympic-related item sold for $ 9.9 million, just months after someone paid $ 5.64 million for a baseball player Babe Roth’s shirt.
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