How a controversial hand of God became Argentina's symbolic revenge
In short: On 22 June 1986, at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, football became something much more intense than a game. Amidst a fierce rivalry and just four years after the Falklands War, Diego Maradona delivered two of history's most famous goals, one through blatant cheating and the other through pure genius.
The match was defined by two goals from Argentina's captain, Diego Maradona. In the 51st minute, Maradona used his hand to reach a ball looping off England's Steve Hodge, scoring what he later facetiously called the 'Hand of God.' The Tunisian referee, Ali Bin Nasser, failed to see the infringement. Just four minutes later, Maradona embarked on a 60-yard, 10-second sprint, dribbling past five English players—including Peter Beardsley and Terry Butcher—to score his second goal, later dubbed the 'Goal of the Century.'
The atmosphere was heavy with geopolitical tension. The match took place only four years after the Falklands War, a conflict that saw 285 British and 659 Argentine casualties. Maradona later admitted that the victory felt like a form of symbolic revenge for the 'Argentine boys' killed during the war. This emotional weight was compounded by a long-standing rivalry dating back to the 1966 World Cup, where Argentine captain Antonio Rattín was sent off, leading to accusations of bias and verbal insults from the English camp.
While England's Gary Lineker secured the Golden Boot with six goals during the tournament, Argentina's victory in this 2–1 quarter-final propelled them toward the championship title. The game remains a study in duality: Maradona's performance was described by the French newspaper L'Équipe as being 'half-angel, half-devil,' capturing the essence of a player who could break the rules and transcend them in the same breath.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Argentina v England (1986 FIFA World Cup)
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