This picture is the only irrefutable evidence of Diego Maradona's illegal handball (over England goalie Peter Shilton) during Argentina's World Cup quarterfinal at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 22, 1986, giving the Argentinians a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute of the match. Maradona would find the back of the net again, just three minutes later, leading the Argentines to a 2-1 victory en route to their second World Cup title.
Although Maradona's second score of the afternoon was voted Goal of the Century on FIFA.com in 2002, this particular "goal" is possibly Maradona's most well-known. After the match, the Forward/Midfielder dismissed England's protest and referred to his questionable score as, "A bit with the head of Maradona and another bit with the hand of God."
After numerous denials, Maradona finally confessed his handball transgression in August 2005. In a show of polite acclaim, not only to Maradona, but also to the decades-old rivalry between England and Argentina -- and with the 2010 World Cup rapidly approaching -- the London-based Times newspaper selected Diego Maradona as the greatest player in World Cup history on March 22, 2010.
As head coach, Maradona and his Argentina national team stand the somewhat ironic possibility of facing their English counterparts once more in the World Cup quarterfinals on July 2 at Soccer City (formerly FNB Stadium) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
© Bob Thomas Sports Photography, Getty Images
Although Maradona's second score of the afternoon was voted Goal of the Century on FIFA.com in 2002, this particular "goal" is possibly Maradona's most well-known. After the match, the Forward/Midfielder dismissed England's protest and referred to his questionable score as, "A bit with the head of Maradona and another bit with the hand of God."
After numerous denials, Maradona finally confessed his handball transgression in August 2005. In a show of polite acclaim, not only to Maradona, but also to the decades-old rivalry between England and Argentina -- and with the 2010 World Cup rapidly approaching -- the London-based Times newspaper selected Diego Maradona as the greatest player in World Cup history on March 22, 2010.
As head coach, Maradona and his Argentina national team stand the somewhat ironic possibility of facing their English counterparts once more in the World Cup quarterfinals on July 2 at Soccer City (formerly FNB Stadium) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
© Bob Thomas Sports Photography, Getty Images
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