Diego Maradona's Adidas Azteca match ball from the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against England sold for approximately $3.3 million at Heritage Auctions in the US on August 22, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The ball was used for both Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal and his celebrated 'Goal of the Century' in Argentina's 2-1 victory [1, 3].
Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser took possession of the ball at full-time and kept it for over 30 years before it reappeared in the auction [1, 3]. Previously, the ball sold in 2022 for about $2.37 million (£1.74 million) but failed to attract a buyer when offered again in 2023 [1, 3].
The $3.3 million sale price was well below pre-auction estimates of $10 million [1, 3]. It also fell short of the record for a sports ball auction, held by Shohei Ohtani's 2024 MLB home run ball, which sold for $4.39 million [3]. Maradona’s 1986 match shirt, meanwhile, fetched £7.1 million ($9.3 million) at auction in 2022 [1, 3].
Mike Provenzale, a specialist at Heritage Auctions, called the ball "a true one-of-one item" and "arguably the most significant soccer item that exists" [1].
