Diego Maradona: How ‘the most famous football in the world’ became a ‘gift from God’ for former referee Ali bin Nasser



CNN

These two goals are perhaps as famous as each other: the first became famous for his audacity and cunning, the second for his brilliant, breathtaking skill.

Just four minutes apart Two memorable contributions by Diego Maradona at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City 36 years ago, and together they represent Argentina’s imperfect genius and beloved football icon.

The “Hand of God” – when Maradona rose over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and scored the ball into the net – needs no special introduction. football fans of any era, and his slalom run through the heart of the English defense was voted the Goal of the Century moments later.

So it’s not surprising that the ball from that day in Mexico City, now deflated and discolored in places, It is expected to bring in up to $3.3 million. at the auction on Wednesday.

“Without a doubt, this is the most famous football in the world,” says Terry Butcher, who captained England during the 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 1986 World Cup. CNN Sports.

Maradona runs away from Butcher (left) and scores against England.

Even the presence of the ball, as it was at London’s Wembley Stadium ahead of this week’s auction, brings back unpleasant memories for the Butcher.

This is a reminder of how he rebuked Tunisian referee Ali bin Nasser after Maradona’s first goal and how he tried in vain to stop the second goal with his outstretched leg.

“It’s very strange to be in the same room with the ball, it’s hard to explain,” adds Butcher. “It’s quite surreal in many ways… This ball is the biggest injustice the world has ever seen when it comes to football matches.”

Since his death two years ago, memorabilia from Maradona’s life and career have been sold at auction for huge sums.

In May the jersey he wore against England sold for $9.3 millionmaking it the most expensive sports memento in history at the time.

As for the soccer ball, it is currently owned by Nasser after FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, announced that referees would keep the ball for themselves after every game they officiated at the 1986 World Cup.

The 1986 World Cup quarter-final ball is expected to sell for $3.3 million.

Nasser is now 78 years old and his refereeing days are long gone. Proceeds from the sale, which is being overseen by Graham Budd Auctions in the UK, he will donate some of the money to charity and says the rest will “raise my standard of living a bit”.

“It’s a gift from God,” Nasser tells CNN Sport, “because my career spanned 25 years … and I made all the necessary decisions.”

When asked about Maradona’s first goal, Nasser is ready to defend the reasons why he left it in place.

FIFA’s instructions regarding the tournament, he said, were to rely on other match officials if they had a better idea of ​​the incident. Unable to see what happened in the aerial duel between Maradona and Shilton, Nasser instead turned to his linesman, Bulgarian Bogdan Dochev.

“[Dochev] reached the center line, which means the goal was 100% scored,” says Nasser, adding that he “applied the FIFA recommendations for the first goal.”

Maradona's controversial ball gave Argentina a 1–0 lead over England in the 1986 World Cup.

For his part, Dochev, who passed away five years ago, said he thought he saw “something abnormal” at the goal, but said FIFA protocols prevent assistants from discussing decisions with the referee. The aftermath of this incident tarnished his refereeing career.

“Diego Maradona ruined my life,” Dochev later told the Bulgarian media in the years leading up to his death. “He is a brilliant football player, but a small person. He is not tall and as a person too.

While in today’s game several balls were used during the match, then only one was used for the full 90 minutes.

According to Graham Budd, chairman of Graham Budd Auctions, Nasser’s ball was matched against high-resolution footage of matches and photographs, and an independent body also confirmed that it is the original.

With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in Qatar on Sunday, this week is the perfect time to put the ball up for auction. it could also become the most expensive sports ball ever sold at auction if it eclipses the $3 million paid for Mark McGuire’s 70th baseball in 1999.

Ali bin Nasser speaks to the media after Maradona's death two years ago.

The significant price of the ball is not only due to the nature of Maradona’s two interventions.

In this match, England and Argentina had met for the first time on the sports arena since the Falklands or Malvinas War four years earlier, and many of the players had – at least on Argentina’s side – friends or relatives who had been called up to fight in the war. .

This backdrop created a sense of drama long before The Hand of God took center stage.

“We had energy, a great desire to win, not only because it was England, but so that our country could be happy in some way.” – Jorge Luis Burruchaga, who subsequently scored the winning goal in the final Argentina against Germany, told CNN Sport four years ago.

“We knew we wouldn’t bring back those who died in the Falklands War, but we knew we’d bring some happiness.”

Former England international Peter Reid also acknowledges the political context of the game, which he says contributes to the ball’s “unique” status.

“There are a lot of Argentines there, there was a lot of pressure on both groups of players, and that’s when he [Maradona] coped very well with the pressure,” Reed says. “Whatever you say, he was a genius footballer.”

What about the first goal? “Look, he cheated,” adds Reid, “but he was also very smart.”

Despite his long career in football as a player and manager, Reed says he is still ridiculed for leading Maradona on the second goal – even the man himself, when the pair met in Jordan many years later.

And although it was Nasser who kept the Hand of God ball from that game, and his old teammate Steve Hodge kept Maradona’s jersey, Reid still received a gift from his treacherous adversary – albeit decades after they met each other in Mexico City.

“He came to me with a signed shirt: “To my friend. With love, Diego Maradona,” says Reid. “I have this hanging on my wall, so it’s not bad. I will hold on to it.”