Soccer :: Maradona — How Did the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century Happen in the Same Match?

Hello!

 

Today's soccer legends post is about Diego Maradona.

 

Can a single moment be both a controversial foul and the greatest goal in football history?

 

That's exactly what happened in the 1986 Mexico World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England — and the man behind both moments was Diego Maradona.

 

Maradona was born in 1960 near Buenos Aires, in the working-class neighborhood of Villa Fiorito. He made his professional debut at Argentinos Juniors, then played for Boca Juniors and FC Barcelona before joining Napoli in 1984.

 

Let's start with a quick look at his career timeline before diving into the details.

 

As you can see, Maradona debuted at Argentinos Juniors, moved through Boca Juniors and Barcelona, joined Napoli in 1984, and led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986. He then delivered two Serie A titles to Napoli, in 1987 and 1990.

 

Did you know Napoli had never won a Serie A title before Maradona arrived?

 

Napoli represented one of Italy's poorer southern regions and had no league titles to its name. With Maradona leading the team, Napoli won its first-ever Serie A title in the 1986-87 season, and a second in 1989-90.

 

Here's a look at how Napoli's league finish changed before and after Maradona joined.

 

Now let's get to the moment that turned Maradona into a global superstar: the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

 

Did you know that a goal scored with a handball and the greatest goal in football history came from the same player, in the same match?

 

In the 51st minute of the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England, Maradona, shorter than goalkeeper Peter Shilton, punched the ball into the net with his left fist. The referees missed the handball, and the goal stood. It later became known as the "Hand of God." Maradona himself admitted in a 2005 television interview that he had scored it with his hand.

 

Remarkably, just four minutes later in the same match, Maradona dribbled from his own half past five England players and scored again. In 2002, FIFA's official poll named it the "Goal of the Century." Argentina won that match 2-1, then went on to beat West Germany 3-2 in the final to win their second World Cup. Maradona also won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.

 

Here's a quick summary of Maradona's record at the 1986 World Cup.

 

Summary

Diego Maradona produced both a controversial handball goal and arguably the greatest goal in football history in the very same match — a career defined by extremes. He carried Napoli, a club with no title history, to two Serie A championships, and almost single-handedly led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986. His life was full of both dazzling talent and controversy, but the footballing records he left behind remain crystal clear to this day.

 

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