A jersey sold for £7.1 million ($58 million).
This extremely valuable jersey was the one that Maradona wore when he participated in the 1986 World Cup, which created the "Hand of God".
The famous Blue Number Ten shirt has been on loan to the National Football Museum in Manchester for the past 20 years, and the overall preservation of the clothes is still in good condition.
Sotheby's described the jersey this way:
The overall condition is good, in line with heavy use, sweating and exercise, with slight off-line at the front hem of the jersey and small spots on the entire jersey.
It can be seen that this jersey was collected after Maradona had just finished playing, and it was still stained with the smell of sweat.
Who was so lucky to have this jersey?
In 1986, in the Quarter-Final of the World Cup, In Argentina vs. England, Maradona scored a handling goal.
Maradona used his cunning to jump up and pass the ball back to the goalkeeper with his hand.
According to football rules, it was not legal to score by hand, but because the referee did not see the game clearly and there was no advanced video assist refereeing technology at the time, the goal gave Argentina a 1-0 lead and a 2-1 victory.
After the game, Maradona said a famous sentence in an interview with reporters:
"Maradona's head and God's hand went in a little each."
That's the goal.
In 2005, 19 years after scoring the controversial goal, Maradona admitted in La Noche del 10 that the goal was actually scored by hand.
After the match, Maradona exchanged jerseys with England midfielder Steve Hodge.
Hodge said: "I was walking in the tunnel and Maradona was coming from the opposite direction. I just pulled on my jersey and then we exchanged clothes there. ”
The shirt has been on loan for the past 20 years and shared with the public at the National Football Museum in Manchester.
Now, why is Hodge selling this iconic jersey?
Hodge said: "I've been proud to have had this thing for over 35 years since I exchanged shirts with Maradona. It's an absolute pleasure to play against the greatest footballer of all time. ”
Maradona, who became famous in World War I
If Maradona's first goal was cunning and blessed with luck, then his second goal was incredible.
Four minutes after the Hand of God goal, Maradona bypassed almost the entire England team for a century goal that was considered the greatest individual goal ever scored.
Argentina won the tournament 2-1 and went on to win the World Cup.
The match also cemented Maradona's status as a superstar, the most famous game of his football career, when Maradona was only 25 years old.
Therefore, this jersey is more meaningful for Argentina.
Before bidding, Argentina had asked England star Hodge to sell maradona's "Hand of God" shirt to them instead of auctioning it for £5 million.
It should be in Argentina so that all Argentines can enjoy it, rather than having a millionaire show it in his wardrobe.
It is regrettable that this request was rejected.
Argentina also sent a delegation to London to conduct the auction.
Who is Maradona's jersey?
This historic jersey is not only an important moment in the history of sports, but also an important moment in the history of the 20th century.
When the shirt was announced to be auctioned, it immediately set off a heated upsurge of sports fans and collectors, and everyone was excited and looking forward to the moment.
The head of Sotheby's said: The "Hand of God" shirt is arguably the most coveted football shirt ever.
It has deep cultural significance for the world of football, the people of Argentina and the people of England, and I am sure that the new owner will be extremely proud to have the most iconic football shirt in the world.
The dress was auctioned online and eventually sold for £7.1 million (58 million yuan), setting a new auction record for sports souvenirs.
It is said that this seller is from a rich middle Eastern country and is related to Manchester City.
Mr. Odas, the world's largest football shirt collector, burst into tears after missing out on the collection of the "Hand of God" shirt, and his offer was around £5.5 million.
summary
The shirt, which belongs to the pride of the Argentine, did not return to the motherland as desired.
After the failed bid, Argentina implored the successful bidder to lend out the famous shirt, hoping to present it in Argentina on October 30 to mark Maradona's 62nd birthday.