The England goalkeeper shirt worn by Peter Shilton when he conceded the “Hand of God” goal to Diego Maradona in the World Cup quarter-final of 1986 will be auctioned in a sale before next July’s World Cup Finals.
The goal is one of the best known and most controversial in World Cup history.
Maradona and Shilton both jumped for a high ball in the England penalty area, and an outstretched hand from the Argentinian striker – a foul – got to the ball first and flicked it into the goal.
Despite protests from England players the goal was allowed.
Just four minutes later, Maradona dribbled through much of the England team to score one of the greatest goals ever seen. It was voted Goal of the Century in 2002.
The World Cup quarter-final between Argentina v England was a classic match between two major rivals. Peter Shilton played a key role in the game. Image courtesy of Graham Budd Auctions.
After the game, Maradona was asked about the first goal, and replied that it had been scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
The shirt in which Maradona scored both goals is the most valuable football shirt ever sold. It was sold by England midfielder Steve Hodge, who secured it after the game, in 2022 and made £7.1 million.
The Shilton shirt, which is being sold by a private collector, is expected to realise around £300,000 according to the estimate from auction house Graham Budd Auctions, who are hosting the World Cup sale.
They have photomatched the garment to the game. Tiny details on shirts, which are often uniquely made for each fixture, are checked against images of the game’s action to prove a shirt was worn during play.
David Convery, of Graham Budd Auctions, told the BBC: “There are a couple of pulls and snags due to the material but it’s in pretty fantastic condition.
“It’s from a moment in history and the second goal was unbelievable. As a specialist auctioneer, it’s up there with having held nine of the 11 World Cup winners’ medals from 1966 and medals from every final since.”
The shirt will be one of the star items in the special sale to mark the FIFA World Cup Finals. Alongside it are Pele’s 1958 World Cup winner’s medal with a £500,000 estimate and Gordon Banks’ medal from 1966.
