Bangkok: The legendary 'Hand of God' soccer ball, used in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final match between Argentina and England, is set to be auctioned with a starting bid of $2.5 million USD (approximately 87,500,000 THB).
According to Thai News Agency, Heritage Auctions has described the football as a "holy grail" for collectors, anticipating that it could reach a price similar to the jersey worn by Diego Maradona in the same match, which sold for $9.2 million USD (approximately 322,000,000 THB) in 2022. Mike Provensale, an auction expert at Heritage, revealed that the ball was kept by the referee after the match, who had colleagues sign it. It was later passed on to Heritage for auction by an independent seller, with a photo authentication company confirming its authenticity.
Provensale highlighted the significance of the "Hand of God" goal, noting its legendary status even among those unfamiliar with football. The auction is occurring amid rapid growth in the football memorabilia market, spurred by the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing strong performance of Argentina in this World Cup, as they prepare for their final match against Spain on Sunday, is also enhancing the ball's value.
The auction at the Heritage auction house will run from the end of this month until the weekend of August 21-23.