The shirt Diego Maradona wore in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England – a match in which he scored ‘Hand of God’ and ‘Goal of the Century’ – is estimated to be worth more than £4m (5.25). million USD) ) at the auction.
The iconic blue shirt was owned by former England midfielder Steve Hodge, who swapped shirts with Maradona after Argentina’s 2-0 win.
During the match, Hodge accidentally let the ball touch his hand for Maradona to score the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal.
Brahm Wachter, Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectibles at Sotheby’s, the auction house where the shirt was ordered was sold.
“This moment resonated far beyond the world of football, coming shortly after the Falklands conflict, and in turn inspiring books, films and documentaries. Maradona is now remembered as one of those men. greatest ever to play football – and this particular game is an instrumental part of his legacy.
“Of course, not only was the ‘Hand of God’ goal scored in this match, but the ‘Goal of the Century’ is considered by many to be one of the greatest individual goals of all time. ,” added Watchter.
Maradona’s jersey is expected to challenge Babe Ruth’s Yankee jersey as the most expensive shirt sold at auction, with a current record of $5.64 million.
This is the first time the shirt has gone on sale, having previously been on display at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England.
“I have been the proud owner of this item for over 35 years, ever since Diego and I swapped shirts in the tunnel after the famous game,” said Hodge. “It was an absolute privilege to play against one of the greatest and greatest footballers of all time.
“The Hand of God shirt has a deep cultural meaning to the football world, the people of Argentina, the people of England and I am sure that the new owner will be extremely proud to own the shirt. most iconic in the world.”
The shirt will go on sale online from April 20 to May 4 and will be on display at Sotheby’s in London for the duration of the auction.
