Maradona ‘Hand of God’ jersey auctioned for N3.8bn

The jersey worn by Argentine football legend, Diego Maradona, when he scored the famous “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final was auctioned for N3.8billion ($9.3 million), Sotheby’s said Wednesday.

The sum is a record for any sports kits memorabilia.

Maradona, who was regarded by many sports pundits as the greatest player of all time, died of a heart attack in November 2020, aged 60.

Seven bidders vied for the jersey in an auction that began on April 20 and ended Wednesday, Sotheby’s said.

“This historic ‘Hand of God’ jersey is a tangible reminder of an important moment not only in the history of sports but in the history of the 20th century,” Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectables, Brahm Wachter, said in a statement after the sale.

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“This is arguably the most coveted football shirt to ever come to auction, and so it is fitting that it now holds the auction record for any object of its kind.”

The jersey had been owned since the end of the controversial encounter by England midfielder Steve Hodge, who swapped his jersey with Maradona after England lost 2-1 in Mexico City.

Maradona’s daughter cast doubt on the sale earlier this month when she claimed that the shirt put up for auction had been the one her father wore in the goalless first half, not the second when he scored his two goals.

Sotheby’s insisted they had the right shirt, though.

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