Argentina 2-1 England: Maradona’s Goal of the Century, 1986 World Cup
In the space of four minutes, Diego Maradona scored the most controversial goal and the greatest goal in World Cup history, in the same match, against England.
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Match facts
| Competition | FIFA World Cup quarter-final |
|---|---|
| Date | 22 June 1986 |
| Venue | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| Result | Argentina 2-1 England |
The story of the match
The game came four years after the Falklands War, which gave it an edge beyond football. After a goalless first half, Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton for the first goal. The referee allowed it, and Maradona later said it was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God".
Four minutes later he picked the ball up in his own half, turned away from two players and ran past the England defence, around Shilton and into the net. Gary Lineker pulled a goal back, but Argentina held on.
Key moments to watch for
- The "Hand of God" goal
- The solo run from his own half
- Victor Hugo Morales’s famous commentary
- Lineker’s late reply
Why it’s one of the greatest football matches ever
In 2002 a FIFA poll voted Maradona’s second goal the Goal of the Century. Argentina went on to win the World Cup, beating West Germany 3-2 in the final, and Maradona’s tournament is often called the greatest by any individual player.
More classic football matches
- Germany 1-0 Argentina: Götze Wins the 2014 World Cup Final
- France 4-3 Argentina: Mbappé’s Breakthrough, 2018 World Cup
- Roma 3-0 Barcelona: The Comeback in Rome, 2018 Champions League
See all 40 on our list of the greatest matches ever, or catch up on this season on the latest highlights page.
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