FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
On June 22, 1986, at Mexico City's legendary Azteca Stadium, Diego Armando Maradona wrote one of the most famous pages in football history. With his two goals, Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, taking a decisive step towards the championship title that they would win a few weeks later.
That match was not just a football match. Just four years earlier, Argentina and Great Britain had fought the Falkland Islands War, a conflict that claimed the lives of nearly 900 soldiers – 649 Argentines and 258 British – and left deep scars on both countries, especially Argentina.
On that winter afternoon in Buenos Aires, the country came to a standstill. The streets were empty, while millions of Argentines gathered in front of televisions and radios to follow the challenge that had taken on the proportions of a symbolic battle.
"Hand of God"
After a balanced first half, Maradona opened the scoring in the 51st minute. After a ball was lifted into the box, he jumped into a duel with goalkeeper Peter Shilton and, with a sneaky touch with his left hand, sent the ball into the net. Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser called it a legal goal.
The action would go down in history as "The Hand of God", an episode that continues to be discussed today.
"Goal of the Century"
Just four minutes later, Maradona scored what many consider the greatest goal of all time.
He received the ball in midfield after a pass from Hector Enrique, covered around 60 metres in just over 10 seconds, dribbling past five English players and goalkeeper Peter Shilton, before sending the ball into the net.
That masterpiece was later christened the "Goal of the Century" and remains one of the most iconic moments in World Cup history.
⚽ Diego Armando Maradona | "La Mano de Dios"
— FIFA World Cup ???? (@fifaworldcup_es) May 29, 2024
???????? @Argentina 2-1 Inglaterra ?????????????????????????????? #CopaMundialFIFA 1986 | Quartos de finale. pic.twitter.com/zo0R7ZvieE
Maradona's account of the "Hand of God"
Years later, Diego Maradona humorously recounted how the idea for the first goal came about.
" When I saw that I couldn't reach the ball with my head, I thought about putting my hand in and kicking it. When I got to the ground I didn't know where the ball was. Then I saw that it was in the net and I started shouting 'Goal! Goal!'. My friends asked me if I had done it with my hand, but I just said: 'Hug me, otherwise the referee will cancel it '."
Later, Maradona would sum it all up with the phrase that became legendary:
" It was a little bit with Maradona's head and a little bit with the hand of God ."
A rivalry that goes beyond football
The clash between Argentina and England did not start in 1986. Argentines still consider the quarter-final elimination of the 1966 World Cup unfair, when captain Antonio Ratin was sent off in a decision that was called "the theft of the century" in Argentina.
But it was the World Cup in Mexico that took this rivalry to another level. For the Argentines, the victory over England had a much greater meaning than qualifying for the semi-finals; it was perceived as a kind of sporting revenge after the defeat in the Malvinas War.
A match that became a myth
Dozens of stories have been told about that challenge. It is said that Argentina's blue jerseys were not the official ones, as coach Carlos Bilardo considered them too heavy for the Mexican heat and other jerseys were purchased in the city, which were adapted with the national team logos.
Another legend is related to Hector Enrique, who for decades has joked that he was the one who provided the assist for the "Goal of the Century", even though his pass was only a few meters away from Maradona.
Jorge Valdano also recounted a memorable episode from that action.
" When Diego got the ball in midfield, I shouted to him: 'Pass it to me, I'm free'. After the goal I asked him why he didn't give it to me. He said: 'I saw you, but I heard the ball telling me it wanted to go to the goal'. That was Diego ."
Legacy
Argentina won that match 2-1 and went on to lift the World Cup trophy. Maradona's two goals – one controversial, the other immortal – became symbols of football.
One went down in history as the "Hand of God", the other as the "Goal of the Century".
Together, they built the myth of Diego Armando Maradona and transformed Argentina–England into one of the greatest rivalries football has ever known.
Diego Maradona's goal vs England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Genius. ????????✨ pic.twitter.com/xheLWGiUrr
— Footy Timeless (@FootyTimeless) June 16, 2026
Lini një Përgjigje