Maradona's 'Hand of God' match ball sells for $3.35 million

Published Aug 24, 05:18 PM UTC

The Adidas Azteca ball used by Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England sold for $3.35 million at Heritage Auctions on August 22, 2026. The ball, which was used for both the infamous 'Hand of God' goal and the 'Goal of the Century' within four minutes, fell well short of its $10 million estimate. The previous owner was Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who sold it in 2022 for $2.37 million. The sale price is lower than several other sports memorabilia records, including Maradona's shirt from the same match ($9.3 million), Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball ($4.392 million), and Babe Ruth's jersey ($24.12 million). Despite the lower-than-expected price, the ball remains one of the most iconic pieces of soccer history.