The match ball used in Argentina’s infamous 1986 World Cup quarter-final victory over England has been sold for $3.35 million (£2.6m) at auction. Although pre-sale estimates had initially gone as high as $10m, the artefact linked to Diego Maradona’s legendary ‘Hand of God’ display attracted strong attention before the hammer came down on Saturday evening.
Historic match ball sold
The official ball from the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England realised $3.35 million (£2.6m) at a Heritage Auctions sale on Saturday evening. Bidding started at $2.5 million on the night before climbing to its final hammer price. Maradona used the famous piece of football memorabilia to score his notorious handball opener, and then produced a brilliant solo goal four minutes later.
Shirt benchmark remains unbroken
According to a report by The Athletic, auctioneers had originally hoped the ball would test the benchmark created by Maradona’s shirt from the same match, which sold for nearly $9.3 million at Sotheby’s in 2022. The report also said the final amount was below the all-time record for a sports ball, which is still held by baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball after it fetched $4.392 million in 2024.
Timing dampens bidding interest
The artefact had previously been sold for $2.37 million at Graham Budd Auctions in 2022 before going unsold the following year, when a highest bid of $2.04 million did not reach the reserve price. Its relisting this summer was aimed at taking advantage of the excitement around the 2026 World Cup. However, the timing of the sale just weeks after the final whistle, along with Argentina falling short in the tournament, probably reduced demand among bidders.
Memorabilia market recalibrates values
The sale establishes a more realistic benchmark for vintage football collectibles after missing its ambitious $10 million estimate. Collectors around the world will now be watching closely to see whether other rare 20th-century artefacts are brought to market in the coming months. High-value items from iconic World Cup matches are still expected to draw steady interest from private investors globally.
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