Football fans have expressed excitement after the shirt of Diego Maradona which he wore when he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup was sold for a record £7.1m.
The shirt was swapped by former England midfielder Steve Hodge 36 years ago after the match with Argentina in Mexico.
The shirt was auctioned on Wednesday and the amount is the highest price ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia.
Advertisement
Auction house Sotheby’s sold Maradona’s shirt higher than its estimated price placed between £4m and £6m.
PHOTOS
When the Argentine legend died in November 2020, Hodge said the shirt would not be put up for sale.
He had said, “people knocking on my door non-stop” and that reports he was looking to sell the shirt were false.
“I find it disrespectful and totally wrong. It’s not for sale. I am not trying to sell it.”
Reacting to the sale, @KitCrimes tweeted, “The man whose back-pass paved the way for the Hand of God goal pockets £7m for Maradona’s shirt – Peter Shilton will be fuming.”
@paulo1927 tweeted, “It may be the “Hand of God” shirt, but it was also the shirt in which possibly the greatest goal ever was scored.”
Steve Clamp, a TV Presenter tweeted @SteveClampITV “Maradona’s shirt from 86 and his ‘hand of God’ goal has just sold for over £7m. Nice little windfall for former Forest player Steve Hodge, who it seems did some great business swapping shirts at the end of the game.”
Dapo Daramola tweeted via his handle @DaramolaDapo, “I just read on ESPN FC that the shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the Hand of God and goal of the Century has sold at auction for $9.28m. A new record for a match-worn sports jersey.”
@UbeidAli8 tweeted, “Diego Maradona’s shirt that he scored the ‘Hand of God’, which became the ‘Goal of the Century’ in the 1986 World Cup quarter final match for @Argentina vs @England was sold for a world-record £7.1m at auction.”