On this day: ‘Hand of god’ helps Maradona, Argentina

England were no match for Argentine captain's skills and tricks in the quarter-final of 1986 World Cup

KARACHI: On June 22, 1986, Argentine football legend Diego Maradona exhibited a performance against England in the World Cup which can only be described as miraculous.

Our generation might know little about the rivalry between England and Argentina in the 1980s but it was a bitter one among the players and fans back then.

The game was watched over the world, as the relations between both nations were not yet normalised. On April 2, 1982, General Leopold Galtieri had led the Argentine military 300 miles off the coast to the British-occupied Falkland Islands, which the Argentines believed rightfully belonged to them.

In response, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sent 110 ships and 28,000 soldiers to the island. The ensuing two-month conflict left 907 people dead as Argentina surrendered on June 14.



PHOTO: AFP

And a different battle resumed four years later at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. In the 1986 World Cup quarter-final Argentina fielded a more talented team than the English, and they were determined to defeat their rivals.

Argentine captain Diego Maradona opened the tally for his side when he scored his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal. The ball had appeared to be hit into the goal off Maradona’s head, but it was in fact punched in with his left hand, a violation that the match referees failed to call.


When asked about the goal after the game, Maradona said the goal was scored ‘a little with his head and a little with the hand of God’.



PHOTO: AFP

Four minutes later, Maradona scored another, which was later voted as the greatest goal in World Cup history, when he dribbled past five English defenders to find the back of the net to give Argentina a 2-0 lead.


The match ended 2-1 with the help of a consolation goal from England’s Gary Lineker. Subsequently, Argentina went on to win the World Cup.

Relations between England and Argentina remained sour, and the countries did not re-establish diplomatic relations until 1990.

In 2005, Maradona, while admitting he had committed a hand ball, said on his television show, “Whoever robs a thief gets a 100-year pardon.”