The football used by Diego Maradona to score his infamous “Hand of God” goal against England at the 1986 World Cup has fetched $3.35m (€2.9m) at auction.
Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, said the Adidas Azteca ball sold for about $6.7m (€5.7m) less than its $10m (€8.6m) estimate.
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The auction house had opened bidding at $2.5m (€2.1m) for the piece of football history.
Maradona struck twice as Argentina defeated England in their quarter-final on 22 June 1986 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The Argentina playmaker, who died at the age of 60 in November 2020, famously described his disputed opener as being scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”.
Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee who officiated the match, took the ball home after the final whistle and held on to it for more than 30 years.
Bin Nasser sold it for $2.37m (€2m) in 2022. The buyer later offered it at auction again in 2023, but the ball failed to reach its reserve price.
Maradona’s shirt from the same match, acquired by England midfielder Steve Hodge, set a record when it sold for £7.1m (€6m) in May 2022. It had been expected to bring in about £4m (€3.4m).
Argentina went on to win the tournament after eliminating England, claiming their second World Cup title with a 3-2 victory over West Germany in the final.
