Maradona Punched a Ball Into the World Cup

The Context

Argentina vs. England in 1986 was not just a football match. Four years earlier, in April-June 1982, the two countries had fought a brief, bloody war over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas to Argentina) in the South Atlantic. Britain won, but the conflict killed 649 Argentine and 255 British military personnel. The wounds were raw.

When the World Cup draw placed Argentina and England on a potential collision course, both nations treated it as a continuation of the conflict by other means. Argentine newspapers ran war imagery alongside match previews. English tabloids were no more restrained.

The First Goal

The match was 0-0 at halftime. Then, six minutes into the second half, the most controversial moment in World Cup history occurred.

Steve Hodge, an English midfielder, attempted to clear the ball from his own penalty area. His clearance looped high into the air, back toward the goal. Goalkeeper Peter Shilton came out to punch it clear. Maradona jumped with him.

Maradona was 5'5". Shilton was 6'1". There was no way Maradona could out-jump him.

He didn't try. As the two rose together, Maradona extended his left fist and punched the ball over Shilton's outstretched gloves and into the net.

England's players surrounded the referee. Television replays showed the handball clearly. But in 1986, there was no video review, no VAR, no technology to correct the error. The goal stood.

The Second Goal

Four minutes later, Maradona erased any debate about whether he deserved to be on the pitch.

He received the ball just inside his own half, facing his own goal. He turned, and in a burst of acceleration, began running at the English defence.

He beat Peter Beardsley with a feint. He left Peter Reid standing. He went past Terry Butcher, then Terry Fenwick. He rounded goalkeeper Peter Shilton and, from a tight angle, slid the ball into the empty net.

He had covered approximately 60 metres, beaten six England players, and scored one of the greatest goals in the history of any sport — all in roughly 10 seconds.

FIFA officially named it the "Goal of the Century" in a 2002 vote. It was scored four minutes after a goal created by blatant cheating. The juxtaposition is the story of Maradona's entire career: genius and transgression, inseparable.

The Aftermath

Argentina won 2-1. They went on to beat Belgium in the semifinal and West Germany in the final, with Maradona the undisputed star of the tournament.

In Argentina, the Hand of God became a source of national pride — not shame. The Falklands connection transformed it from cheating into revenge. Maradona himself never apologized. In his 2005 autobiography, he admitted it was a deliberate handball and said he felt no guilt.

In England, the goal remains a lasting source of bitterness. Peter Shilton, who retired as England's most-capped goalkeeper, refused to forgive Maradona and publicly criticized him for decades.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020. He was 60 years old. Three days of national mourning were declared in Argentina. The Hand of God and the Goal of the Century remain, four minutes apart, the defining moments of his extraordinary and turbulent life.